Charles Shaw wine displayed in a Trader Joe's grocery market.

Charles Shaw is a brand of "extreme value" wine. Almost exclusively from California vineyards, Charles Shaw wines currently include Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Valdiguie in the style of Beaujolais nouveau, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. In 2009, an international version of Chardonnay from Australia was introduced in limited stores. These wines are sold exclusively by Trader Joe's grocery stores, and sell for USD$1.99 in California, for which they are affectionately known as "Two Buck Chuck."^[1]

Due to transportation costs and other factors, in other states the price may be as high as $4. As such, the wine is often referred to as "Three Buck Chuck" or "Four Buck Chuck" relative to the price.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Ownership

Grapevines growing on the grounds of the Bronco Wine Company in Ceres, California, where Charles Shaw wine is produced.

The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred Franzia (formerly of Franzia Brothers wines). The Bronco Wine Company produces the Charles Shaw label at their Ceres, California winery which is not open to the public though Oz and James's Big Wine Adventure visited the winery in the fourth episode of their second series.

There once was an actual, eponymous winery owned by Charles F. Shaw, which produced Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley AVA. That winery went out of business, and the name was sold to Bronco in 1990. ^[2]

[edit] Awards

At the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, Shaw's 2002 Shiraz received the double gold medal, besting the roughly 2,300 other wines in the competition.^[3]

Shaw's 2005 California chardonnay was judged Best Chardonnay from California at the Commercial Wine Competition of the 2007 California Exposition and State Fair. The chardonnay received 98 points, a double gold, with accolades of Best of California and Best of Class.^[4]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Trader Joe's web site on Charles Shaw
• Charles Shaw rumor disclosure by snopes.com
• Video reviews of Charles Shaw via Winelibrary TV
• Two Buck Chuck takes a bite out of Napa article on CNN.com