If it Wasn't for Bad Chuck, You Wouldn't Have No Chuck at All

I hesitate to write about the Two Buck Chuck phenomenon. I was hoping that by this time it would have all gone away. If you don't know what it is, congratulations, you are one of the lucky ones. However, I get asked about "Chuck" all the time, so here goes...

For some background information I refer you to Mike Steinberger's July 22nd article in Slate.

"Charles Shaw, as it is formally known, is the hottest thing in the wine world at the moment. It is the brainchild of a publicity-shy Napa Valley winemaker named Fred Franzia, who shrewdly decided to cash in on California's current grape glut by going downmarket - as low as you can go, in fact. Two-Buck Chuck, which debuted last year, is sold exclusively by the Trader Joe's supermarket chain and comes in four... well, let's just call them flavors: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay... its renown has also spread thanks to some rather glowing press coverage. The media seem to have an unquenchable thirst for stories that somehow cast doubt on the worthiness of expensive wines and the wisdom of those who drink them; the subtext of many of the articles about Two-Buck Chuck is that the swill-guzzling masses have once again outfoxed the snobs by finding a wine that offers both value and quality."

If you are one that drinks this wine and likes it, there is not much I can say that will change your mind. But, if you think that you are getting a deal when you buy Two Buck Chuck, you are sadly mistaken. Two Buck Chuck and most other "branded wines" are produced in facilities that more closely resemble an oil refinery than a winery. These are grapes that are usually sold on the bulk market to giant bag in the box (and lower quality) producers. There is no good wine without good grapes - there is not a winemaker alive that will tell you anything different. If you are paying $2, $3 or $4 for a bottle of this stuff, it's like having your pockets picked. Do yourself a favor and buy bag in the box. You're paying extra for a bottle and a cork.

Two Buck Chuck and most of those wines sitting on your grocery store shelves have as much to do with wine and wine making as processed American cheese food has to do with Parmigiano-Reggiano. But, if you can't taste the difference, I guess it really doesn't matter.

What is sad and frustrating is to watch the media and many wine drinkers buy into the Two Buck Chuck and branded wine hype. Sad because it takes so little additional money and time to get inexpensive wine that is well made and that tastes great. Unfortunately, complaining about the branded wine monotony is an awful lot like shaking your fist at the sun. The wine industry is one that gives the customer merely average examples of what it is believed they want at an affordable price. I understand, but will never comprehend, why so many producers, journalists, sales people and critics work so hard to bring everything down to the lowest common denominator of quality.

I make no excuses for berating wines like Two Buck Chuck and many others that would be familiar to you. It's because there are so many really good inexpensive wines around (like this one, or this one). All it takes is a minimum amount of effort (like reading this newsletter) to find them.

There are people all over the world making wine and they work very hard for very little to produce something that they are proud of and that they believe you might enjoy. It seems much more reasonable to me to spend your wine money on those producers that truly invest the time and effort into their vineyards and into their winemaking.

We pay too little attention to the little things in life that make our lives satisfying and rewarding. We put enough nasty food and drink into our bodies already. Why would you want to add Two Buck Chuck to that list when you can drink great wine for a few dollars more?

But then I remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, "people who like this sort of thing tend to like it." Remind me never to visit Ford's Theater.