Anteater
07-07-04, 02:33 PM
Here’s some news for the wine & cheese crowd (and who among us is not? ;) ):
BERKELEY – "Two Buck Chuck," the California wine famous for its low price, proved to be worth its weight in gold to judges in a New York competition.
A Charles Shaw shiraz – Charles Shaw is Two Buck Chuck's formal name – made it to the finals of the International Eastern Wine Competition, one of 53 from 2,300 entries.
The news was a bit of a stunner for the wine world, where high praise is often accompanied by high prices. But for Ceres-based Bronco Wine Co., makers of Charles Shaw, the honor was vintage vindication.
"First the people spoke and now the critics have spoken," said Bronco spokesman Harvey Posert.
Charles Shaw, which is carried exclusively by the Trader Joe's grocery chain, sells for $1.99 in California, although it can cost more elsewhere.
The wine's success created a new category of wines known as "supervalues," which last year accounted for about 13 percent of California wine sales, said analyst Jon Fredrikson.
At the East Coast competition, a panel of four judges agreed the Charles Shaw shiraz – a red wine with a ripe berry flavor – was worth a gold medal, giving it the "double gold" status that puts it in the sweepstakes for best of category. Those results were to be released tonight in Corning, N.Y.
Two Buck's showing reportedly caused chagrin at the competition after the blind tasting.
But Richard Leahy, editor of Vineyard and Winery Magazine, saw a silver lining.
"I think it's good news for the consumer that a wine at this price point is also that good," he said.
:rofl: Funniest bit of news I’ve read in ages. Actually, the Charles Shaw reds are not half-bad if you let them breathe for a while.
BERKELEY – "Two Buck Chuck," the California wine famous for its low price, proved to be worth its weight in gold to judges in a New York competition.
A Charles Shaw shiraz – Charles Shaw is Two Buck Chuck's formal name – made it to the finals of the International Eastern Wine Competition, one of 53 from 2,300 entries.
The news was a bit of a stunner for the wine world, where high praise is often accompanied by high prices. But for Ceres-based Bronco Wine Co., makers of Charles Shaw, the honor was vintage vindication.
"First the people spoke and now the critics have spoken," said Bronco spokesman Harvey Posert.
Charles Shaw, which is carried exclusively by the Trader Joe's grocery chain, sells for $1.99 in California, although it can cost more elsewhere.
The wine's success created a new category of wines known as "supervalues," which last year accounted for about 13 percent of California wine sales, said analyst Jon Fredrikson.
At the East Coast competition, a panel of four judges agreed the Charles Shaw shiraz – a red wine with a ripe berry flavor – was worth a gold medal, giving it the "double gold" status that puts it in the sweepstakes for best of category. Those results were to be released tonight in Corning, N.Y.
Two Buck's showing reportedly caused chagrin at the competition after the blind tasting.
But Richard Leahy, editor of Vineyard and Winery Magazine, saw a silver lining.
"I think it's good news for the consumer that a wine at this price point is also that good," he said.
:rofl: Funniest bit of news I’ve read in ages. Actually, the Charles Shaw reds are not half-bad if you let them breathe for a while.