After reading about Charles Shaw in terms of writing about "Working Class Wine," I decided to actually try some. As a hungry blogger who likes to drink wine, but has a limited budget, it's my duty to check out "budget wines." If you're not familiar with Charles Shaw wines, they're sold exclusively through Trader Joe's, and were dubbed "Two Buck Chuck" because in California they sell for $1.99 a bottle. Responding to a less than fulsome May 18 article by New Yorker staff writer Dana Goodyear, Charles Shaw founder Fred Franzia complains that "She doesn't understand that somebody can enjoy a $2 bottle of wine," he said.

Hungry blogger that I am, I very much do understand that someone can enjoy an inexpensive bottle of wine. In part because of that article, I decided to give "Two Buck Chuck" a try. My local Trader Joe's carries the complete suite, Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. They're priced at $3.49 a bottle in Washington. Trader Joe's had a wall of cases stacked next to shelves with rank upon rank of bottles against the wall of the store; it's a similar display to that in every Trader Joe's I've ever seen, and yes, people really do buy Charles Shaw wines by the case. The wines come in the standard varietals; I picked a white (ok, a blush) and two reds to try.

White Zinfandel

Lighter in color than I'd expect from Zinfandel, and much much sweeter. Honestly, I'd have to describe this wine as plonk with an 11% ABV. I suppose one might use this Zinfandel in a wine spritzer, but it's not really drinkable. I suspect that the grapes were picked much too ripe. This is my first experience regarding a wine that gets worse with time; half an hour after opening, I tried a second glass, and it was even less palatable. Honestly, this is really pretty horrible.

Shiraz

Better than the Zinfandel, but not by much. Again, mostly it's sweet fruit juice with alcohol burn (it's 12.5% ABV). I'm not sure it's really Shiraz; maybe a Shiraz-Merlot? The bottle is less than explanatory. And it's not any better with the second glass; if this had been my first exposure to Shiraz, there would never have been a second.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Slightly vinegary aroma. Definitely a Cabernet Sauvignon but a decidedly noticeable high alcohol taste, with an odd burnt-toast finish. If this were my first Cabernet Sauvignon, I wouldn't try another. It's 12.5 ABV, and honestly, I suspect they waited way too long to harvest the grapes. We donated the bottle to the cthonic realms.

Part of the popularity of Charles Shaw wines is that Trader Joe's appeals to a very particular middle-class foodie niche. People who are interested in wine, and food, and don't have unlimited funds. They also tend to assume that good wine comes in glass bottles; boxed wine is for their parents' generation. Charles Shaw wines are in bottles, and have a cork; the popular perception is that "real" wine has a cork and a glass bottle, and is therefore automatically "better" than boxed wine. I don't, by the way, share that perception at all, but it is a very common assumption. I note that for the price per bottle of Charles Shaw I pay in Washington, about $3.50, I can buy better wine with a bit of shopping around, and not a lot more money. There's Australian Boonaroo, at under $4.00, there's California Sutter Home White Zinfandel at about $3.50 a bottle, and quite frankly, I'd rather buy local Washington wines and pay $5.00 for Columbia Crest Gewürtztraminer, or $6,00 to 8.00 for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, or one of the Snoqualmie wines for around six or seven dollars. These are drinkable wines which, frankly, the Charles Shaw wines weren't, so I'd argue that I wasted money buying Charles Shaw at all.