Is “Two Buck Chuck” really Californias best Chardonnay?
Fred Franzia, the California wine industry’s leading iconoclast, has done it again! The word out of Sacramento is that his Charles Shaw (“Two Buck Chuck”) Chardonnay has been awarded top honors as the state’s best Chardonnay at the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. What makes this headline news is that the wine retails for $1.99 per bottle, hence its nickname. Don’t look for this wine at your local BevMo or supermarket; it is only sold at Trader Joe’s. A popular item under normal circumstances, it has been flying off the shelves ever since the announcement. A clerk at a local Trader Joe’s told me that the wine frequently sells out by the end of the day. Fanzia, who is president and CEO of the Bronco Wine Company, also makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc under the Charles Shaw label. All wines sell for the same price — $1.99 per bottle. (Note: Fred Franzia and his family have not been associated with the Franzia Winery for many years.) Bronco owns over
