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Charles Shaw California Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (2 Buck Chuck)

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This entry was posted on 2/26/2006 7:50 AM and is filed under California Cabernets, Dirt Cheap Wines, good value wines.

Charles Shaw, AKA "2 Buck Chuck" has been available at Trader Joes Markets for several years now.  I have not seen it anywhere else.  The wine sells for $1.99, and I bought a bottle of the 2003 vintage February 2006.  The wine is o.k., but nothing more.  For the money, however, it may be the best cabernet for under 5 dollars.  The bouquet was a little vegetal, and not anything to sing about.  On the palate, it was very plain, but not bad.  Very generic, not at all complex, but reasonably well balanced, and not overly tannic.  The finish is short, but not harsh or unpleasant.  In short, the wine was o.k.  If it cost 20 dollars, I would tell you to buy something else.  But for a buck-ninety nine, I think it really is a pretty good deal.  It is far better than the jug wines and box wines that compete at this price point.

Quality 2.5 stars
Quality to value ratio, 3 stars
 

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    • 2/27/2006 5:29 PM Zack wrote:
      I like the 2 buck chucks. If you don't have the big bucks, it's a pretty good deal. They make many other wines, and not just cabernet though. All of them are good
      Reply to this
      1. 2/27/2006 7:55 PM VinoCritic wrote:
        Zack,

        I could not agree more.  For under 5 dollars a bottle, you will be hard pressed to find a better wine.  My point is that if you are fortunate enough to have a budget that allows an occasional splurge above this price point, there are wines out there that are more interesting and tastier.  In every price category, whether it be the 2 dollar range or the one hundred dollar range, there are some wines which deliver quality above and beyond the competitors at that price point.  The 2 buck chuck blows the doors off of this price category.  In fact, it is better than many of the 10 dollar wines out there.  It can not, however, compete with the best of the 15 to 20 dollar category.  That's the purpose of this web site;  namely, to try to identify wines at different price points and of different styles that are the best of their class. 
        Reply to this
    • 3/4/2006 9:31 PM Rawli wrote:
      VC,
      Having tried this wine when there was little else to try I must admit that even at the attractive price point it was terrible. Not a total loss however because I routinely use it a acid for my vinaigrette.
      Reply to this
      1. 3/4/2006 10:59 PM VinoCritic wrote:
        Fair enough assesment, Rawli.  But answer me this:  What other wine for 3 dollars or less is better?
        Reply to this
        1. 3/10/2006 7:11 PM Rawli wrote:
          Not to be a snob, but I wouldn't know. My price point is 15.00.
          Reply to this
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