2 Buck Vaynerchuk – Episode #212

April 10, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Trader Joe’s

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Today Gary Vaynerchuk attacks the question that has been asked of him over 100 times a month.

Having trouble seeing this video? Click here for the Quicktime version

234 Responses

April 10, 2007

NathanN
#1
April 10, 2007

Tahmedee
1????
April 10, 2007

KenP
top 5!
April 10, 2007

Hinrgman
2 Buck Vaynerchuk has a nice ring to it
April 10, 2007

Justin
HAHAHAH! Wow… didnt think you would ever do this. NICE! err not really.
April 10, 2007

Acousticdoc
top 10
April 10, 2007

Matty Matt
Top 10!!! First time
April 10, 2007

Ben N.
Top 10 ??????????????????
April 10, 2007

KAHUNA
Not to mention thanks to Charles Shaw’s wife who divorced him and forced him to put his own name up for sale- Women can’t live with them can’t bury them in the backyard!
April 10, 2007

Hinrgman
The hair is extraordinary!!
April 10, 2007

Harold
I haven’t even watched today’s episode but I already love it. “2 Buck Vaynerchuk”, classic!
April 10, 2007

Ben N.
Two buck upchuk
April 10, 2007

KAHUNA
I think they changed their label due to the new California labeling laws- which means you cant lie to the consumer like your hero MR. Shaw would do.
April 10, 2007

KAHUNA
Change that to Mr. Franzia not Mr. Shaw
April 10, 2007

waibeans
YYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAA!!! 2 $ VCK!
April 10, 2007

TagWorld Brian
top 16
April 10, 2007

Corrado
Haven’t we already had this QOTD?
April 10, 2007

KAHUNA
DONT YOU BAD MOUTH LT – OOOH Jonathin Vilma cant carry LT’s jock!
April 10, 2007

TagWorld Brian
2 Buck Chuck urban legends: http://www.snopes.com/business/market/shawwine.asp
April 10, 2007

Fiorentina!
Top 25 YEA!
April 10, 2007

glassrunnethempty
QOTD: As a reward for being one of their more frequent buyers, a local wine store invited me to attended a distributor (Glunz) wine tasting. Afterwards he told me I could order anything in the distributor catalog for the cost price. One case of wine, for example, retailed for $21/bottle. Buying a case they cost me $13/bottle. I’ll take that deal anytime.
April 10, 2007

Dave-from-Katonah
WoW top 25!
April 10, 2007

Randy
Gary,

Wow, what can I say, you really went that extra mile in tasting the TJ wine collection. I gotta wonder what “furlescent” means (description of the Shiraz?).

QOD: Best bargain, hmm a toughie, I’d have to say getting umpteen cases of Kenwood Table Red at something like 50% off for my wedding (wife was a grower for them, ya know).
April 10, 2007

stevo
I felt bad for ripping TJ pretty bad on the forum a month or so ago so I bought a bottle…and quickly poured it out. It’s not wine. Maybe I’ll give the shiraz a try at some point…if my wife and I lose both of our jobs or something.

Best Bargain: $135 non-stop, roundtrip flight from Phoenix to Atlanta.
April 10, 2007

Kelly
You hate Lawrence Taylor, and I hate you for it. Go 56.
April 10, 2007

njbabs
QOTD: Perhaps the vayniac wristband? I’ve lived my life for a good deal – so it’s just so hard to narrow it down.

Drinking some CH Lot 24 Syrah right now, and enjoying it… but perhaps anyone can make a good syrah

Need to try some Shaw in the near future – it’s been on my ‘to drink’ list – even if it kills me. I’m up for an adventure. Just need a Trader Joe’s closer by.
April 10, 2007

waibeans
would you call 2$CK wine or wine “drink”?

Dave Chapelle knows the difference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWPqHOeBdkk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Evideosift%2Ecom%2F%3Fpage%3D5

Great Ep GV.. you looked like you were really having fun there!
April 10, 2007

daniel von trier
Gary,

Thanks for tasting those, and getting that out of the way. Now can we get back to some real wine? You looked like a Martyr there in the middle of today’s show, grimacing like you were getting stuck with hot pokers. Can’t have been pleasant.

QOTD: In the early 90’s in California, SHOPPING AT TRADER JOE’S incidentally, I used to get a lot of great deals, not on $2-chuck, but back when they were really out there looking for good deals for their customers, second label stuff … I seem to recall getting some Stag’s Leap second label wines for about $4 a bottle, essentially the same wines that were going for upwards of $20. I don’t remember a lot from that period, though, so it could have all been crap.

But I was drinking Sanford Pinot, and long before Sideways!
April 10, 2007

3dvw
Unfortunately the silly NY alcohol laws keep trader joes from selling the wine without a separate wine shop. So no trader joes wine out on Long Island
April 10, 2007

Fishamble
QOTD: Is it okay to mention beer on WLTV? Oh, well, here goes anyway. I recently got 2 doz bottles of Brooklyn Lager for â‚¬5 because it had just gone past its best-before date. Tasted wonderful.
April 10, 2007

geespot
I actually do shop at Trader Joe’s quite a bit, so good ep GV. I’ve never actually tried their brand wines, for fear that this might happen. That said, they do have some excellent wines at good price points. The last two that come to mind, R.H. Phillips ‘Night Harvest’ Sauv Blanc 2004, crisp and fruity for 8 bucks. Also the Echelon 2005 Pinot Noir, at 11.99 (12 is the new 10), a very young wine, with some real potential. Solid cherry flavor, with a very intriguing nose, besides cherry I got dried apricots, maple syrup, mango. So, go to Trader Joe’s, just don’t buy their brand. Gary, any chance we can have a French wines for under 15$ ep in the near future?
April 10, 2007

Jack2112
great episode. I have to say, first time I’ve ever laughed out LOUD at a comment from Gary. The sugar water with the action figure in it. Really well done. Just like GREAT wine, GV gets better with time.

QOTD – this is really a tough one…I’d say it’s buying my first house for $180k, doing 5k worth of work on it myself with father-in-law, and then selling it three years later for $340k
April 10, 2007

chogan
Gary.. I DARE you… I say I DARE you to not say “let’s give it a whirl” for an entire episode of WLTV.
April 10, 2007

Fiorentina!
Hey Gary
Interesting episode today….I worked at Trader Joe’s in 2000-2004, so I was there for the Charles Shaw BOOM! I still have nightmares of people getting blood thirsty over these wines….just think, you wheel out a palate of wine and it’s gone within 5 minutes….people literally fighting for the last case…getting yelled at because we ‘don’t deliver wine’….it was like watching national geographic.
BTW…i don’t think that you can call what you did a bargain…smart and clever, but not a bargin…personally I call that ’sticking it to the man’
QotD- Probably the best bargain I got was when I bought a case of decent merlot from a winemaker and he gave me 2 magnums of the stuff for free.
April 10, 2007

Rick "The Model" M
Thanks for the birthday shout out man. That was awesome. My first name is Joshua (very biblical), last name used to be Smithiwitz or something like that.
April 10, 2007

bigern1013
wine so bad you have to saw off your tongue…hilarious
April 10, 2007

Trish da' Dish
Gary’s QOTD’s? (sounds like there were 2 this time)

1.What I think of 2 Buck Chuck: It totally sucks. What a rip-off! I wouldn’t still be drinking wine if I had started with that stuff. Yes, I’ve tried several “varietals,” and I hate that I wasted about $10 trying.

2.My best deal: Last summer, I bought a black and white laser printer that was only $49 after rebate. Yeah, I was down $180 for awhile, but the rebates came fast. Now I no longer yell at my kids about printing their cheat codes and other useless stuff all of the time–I highly recommend a black and white for primary printer and just print to your color printer only when you actually need to. Still on the original laser cartridge!
April 10, 2007

Sue Z.
QOD – I bought a case of bordeaux back in 1986 for about $100. I never new wine could taste that good. I’m hoping the 4 cases of bordeaux futures will be just as good, if not better:)
April 10, 2007

Jeff Williams
Awesome Show… HILARIOUS! The look on Gary’s face when he was drinking the gamay was priceless…
April 10, 2007

mikeyrad
QOTD: Free shipping from Wine Library
April 10, 2007

Michael Goldfine
My Best Deal So Far: Matua Sauvignon Blanc from Australia. I find it as exciting, but not quite as complex, as the Kim Crawford. But it is $3-$5 less. Also Bluefish Riesling ($9) And Selback-Oster Riesling Kabinett ($15)
April 10, 2007

Mike I
Way to go Gary – the thing that gets me about 2 buck chuck is the inverse snobbery when people try to convince you that its not that bad really and you should just give it a chance…

QOTD – a couple of years ago when WL gave free shipping almost every other week. Seemed like a great bargain until I realized that you’d turned me into a wine geek.
April 10, 2007

mikeyrad
Two Buck Chuck reminds me of Dennis Miller’s quote regarding cheap “buy one get one free” men’s suits: “Hey folks, two of sh-t is sh-t. If they really want to screw you they’ll give you three of them.” Even though I’ve had plenty of enjoyable eight to twelve buck wines, does that makes me a two buck snob?
April 10, 2007

Noanoa
# number, numreo, & so on
April 10, 2007

PJ
Great episode and about time. The Trader Joe’s Shiraz is the everyday wine in our house. It tastes bit watered down and if you don’t decant it (not just opening the bottle but pouring into a decanter) for about an hour it doesn’t have much aroma or flavor as you noticed. Also, unlike other wines, this wine will not stay overnight. If you don’t drink it right then, it is not consumable the next day. I don’t know why, but we’ve learned to throw away that night what we don’t drink. And since it is $2.50 down here in Jawja, it’s the cheapest wine I’ve bought. Heck even Cold Duck was $3.99.

Hey, we had a wine tasting last week and it was my turn – I chose Australia. So I served Vegemite. It didn’t go with any of the wines but with Men at Work on the stereo and vegemite, I thought I had it made. Just thought I would throw that out there and tell you not to try it when drinking wine – even Australian wine. Someone described it as a beef bullion cube soaked in soy sauce. And I had to agree.
April 10, 2007

John Blue Label
GV,
First time I didn’t learn anything from WLTV. Wait, no, I did learn something. Not to waste my time on Trader Joe’s wines. Not sure why we went there today, but if you made someone happy, so be it.
QOTD: Best deal I ever got was 5 dozen Precept Laddie Extreme golf balls for $70 bucks on eBay. I can lose them guilt free!!!
JW
April 10, 2007

KenP
Randy, post 23,
The word is pearlescence. A beautiful word, unlike the wine it describes.
April 10, 2007

Neil
In 2000 I sampled of the Shaw and found every effort except the sauvignon blanc to be terrible and I only used the sauvignon blanc for cooking. One thing I don’t understand about the whole 100 point scale thing is if it doesn’t taste like wine how can it even get a score? 67 points? What’s up with that? I wouldn’t even bother with a score and if I did it would be in the low teens. That said consumers were lucky during the wine glut because there was a lot of good wine out there with a decent QPR. I seriouly think people who drink Charles Shaw on a regular basis don’t like wine at all, but like sipping on something while watching reruns of The Love Boat or Magnim P.I.

QOTD: After returning from a local wine store with a whole bunch of bottles & realizing that they mis-priced 2004 Ch. Lagrange @ $1.79/ea. (FYI – Not from Wine Library!)

I received the Vayniac wristband yesterday. Thanks!
April 10, 2007

Caren
interesting Three Bill Swill episode….the only TJ’s brand that I have ever tasted was the Shiraz….and that was right before I mixed it into Sangria (with spiced rum & fresh fruit) for 20 people. They loved it!!
April 10, 2007

WirelessWine
I’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s, but this was a good episode!

The best deal I ever got was on a used Les Paul guitar. I don’t think the kid knew what he had!
April 10, 2007

Abel
QOTD: 2000 Groth Cabernet 750ml for $14.99. Of course, it was on sale.
April 10, 2007

Dave-from-Katonah
Brave episode,Gary. 6 out of 7 wines that you would never drink again, incl the worst ever on WLTV.

QOTD – best bargain must have been from WLTV – 2 Up Shiraz for 10 bucks!!
April 10, 2007

Badger Ann
Best deal: Walking into Lowe’s a few months ago and getting a $600 gas grill for $250 (end of season clearance!).

Folks I know who go on and on about 2$C***k seem to also be the ones who say “good wine is lost on me..” Guess what I’ll be serving them at Thanksgiving this year?…
April 10, 2007

Garret Nagle
Hi Gary,

Good choice on the episodes today. One thing I have learned about buying wine in general, is that the “botique” wine stores, or wine specialty stores that aren’t chain grocers seem to have better deals.

For example, when I go into Trader Joe’s, it seems like the same wines are always there. Further, I have yet to find a great QPR value in the 10-15 dollar range at TJ’s, something I think you should be known for.

The reason why I think you can find better wines and deals at smaller non-chain wine stores is because the large stores like Trader Joe’s are carrying basically the same inventory at each of the stores, thus limiting the ability to bring in interesting wines not wholesaled by a mass distributor or importer.

At TJ’s, I can go in and know exactly what I’m going to get, whereas at a wine specialty store, I’m more likely to find great QPR, but most likely that wine isn’t going to be in the inventory 8 weeks later.

I’d like to hear what others have to say about this, but the wine industry to me seems to be one of the few where little guys can compete with the big boys – I don’t know a lot about the business of wine, WHICH IS WHY I WATCH WLTV! My statements are merly a hypothesis.

QUESTION OF THE DAY!

The best deal I have ever gotten was when I bought a 4th generation iPod at Best Buy with a product REPLACEMENT plan, and got 100% in store credit for the comparable 5th generation iPod when the battery died 10 months later.

Good deals don’t always last, like this one – when I got my free upgrade to the 5th gen., I could only buy into the product Service plan.
April 10, 2007

brooklyni
hey gary, got the wristband today. thanks man. you’re whole “we’re changing the wine world aren’t we” rings true today more than ever. thanks for the two buck chuck tasting!
April 10, 2007

brooklyni
Now here’s a dare: a jug wine tasting? Wait … that might not be fun even as a joke.
April 10, 2007

Spacejay
You put figurines in your underpants?
QOTD – In Desert Storm when my first child was born. Total bill – I got refunded $175 by the government. Am I in trouble also?
April 10, 2007

KenP
QOTD: From West Coast Trader Joe’s,… drum roll please…ABRAZO Del Toro! 2005. 80% Garnacha-20% Tempranillo, from Carinena, Espana. Only 13% alc. $3.99. Leather, leather, fruit’s a bit dumb, but the finish saves the day. Screaming qpr.
April 10, 2007

ChrisR
nicely done 2buck vaynerchuk. The Shaw wines vary greatly from year to year. I’ve never bought them but have tasted them here and there. Sometimes there Merlot isn’t half bad. Sometimes its undrinkable. Same goes for the others.
April 10, 2007

DrEdwardo
Two Buk Vaynerchuck
April 10, 2007

dwildman
Best deal: twin fraternal girls for $100 copay.

Second best deal: inheriting Lucent for free and selling it in 1999 at $65/share

Third best deal: 2004 Numanthia Numanthia for 44 bucks/bottle
April 10, 2007

JulesG
I enjoyed the episode and now I know what wine to serve to my mother-in-law next Christmas. She normally makes me buy a box of white zin for her, now I can spend the same amount and impress her with the bottle.

QOTD – It was actually my Dad’s bargain but I was there. It was 1982, I was 15 and looking for my first car in the used car section of the local paper. I wanted a 67 chevelle and was willing to spend $2000.00. I worked all through my sophmore year and the following summer and was ready. I spotted an ad in the paper that stated “67 chevy $900″. I called the lady who happened to live one section over in Levittown and arranged to see the car in an hour. I called my Dad who was an auto mechanic and he drove home to take me over there. Well, that day my Dad bought himself a 67 corvette for $1000. The lady’s son died in Vietnam 12 years priior and the car had been sitting in her garage ever since, it had 6000 miles on it. There was no chance I was getting that beautiful car and though I didn’t understand at the time, I get it now. I did buy a 67 chevelle that year for $500 and totaled it the following year. That was one smart move by my Dad.
April 10, 2007

jprva
QOTD: in terms of wine, probably $7.49 for the 2004 Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc. This was a fantastic summer wine. I bought 6 bottles before it sold out.
April 10, 2007

Craig
QOTD

Best wine deal – Half case of 1986 Blackwood Canyon Pinnacle (a Trockenbeerenauslese level Riesling) on close out at Fred Meyer. Still have a few bottles left â˜º
April 10, 2007

Matty Van - Tampa,FL
Two Buck Vaynerchuck….hmmmm lets hope your wife does not call you that.

QOD – WLTV hands down the best value in the history of the world. Gary thank you for doing the show, it has enriched my life and my wine world….Thank You
April 10, 2007

Kent I
NICE episode!

I didn’t even know Charles Shaw did Shiraz. Now I feel like I have to try it just to appease my own curiosity, but for god’s sake, I’m not made of money!
April 10, 2007

Brad
56- cuz you hate Lawrence Taylor? Your getting cut…I’m going to send in a bloody Pat O’Brien jersey, along w/ a badly burned Broadway Joe picture to show you how much I loathe the little green pukies. Don’t talk trash in my town- Brandon Jacobs will split you in half!
April 10, 2007

Herm
Thanks for the episode….I will try some of the 2 buck wines….Qotd, if these wines pan out it could be the best deal ever….
April 10, 2007

TheDumbPhase
I loved the returning the Shaq figures bit. Charles Shaw isn’t wine, it’s Kool Aid w/ alcohol. BUT, if it gets people interested in wine that wouldn’t normally have been, it’s a good thing.
QOTD- Best recent wine bargain was ‘03 Don Melchor for $37.99 at a shop in Aberdeen. Cheapest other places is close to double that since the WS Top 100.
April 10, 2007

jonochicago
QOTD: It’s gotta be Australian Shiraz, right?
April 10, 2007

Lars
QOTD: Now we all know why K-Mart filed for bankruptcy! For me, I would say anything I buy at Costco.

Love the episode. Especially because I have 3 bottles of the Shiraz and 3 bottles of the Sav. Blanc in my “cellar.” Both of those grapes can make good wine makers out of nearly anyone, so they are the ones that I get of the 2 buck Chuck.

Thanks Wine Guy for takin’ one for the team.
April 10, 2007

cdavis
QOTD: It was the summer of 1998 and there was a gas station selling 87 unleaded for 92 cents a gallon. At the time I didn’t know it but that was the best bargain I have ever had. =)
April 10, 2007

Dave Canada
Never tried those….by the sounds of your ratings though not such a huge deal. I’ll give them a try though for kicks sometime when I get down south.
QOTD – My wife….not idea how I scored that one?
April 10, 2007

mas
I never had 2-3-4 Buck Chuck and now I know not to let my curiosity get the better of me. I wonder why the bother creating vintage wines – it seems to me they would be much better off blending across vintages – I can’t imagine them getting passable excess juice in every vintage …

QOTD: ‘98 Vieux Donjon CdP for $19.99.
April 10, 2007

SoCal
Dude,
I almost threw up watching you!
Having grown up around the corner for TJ’s I can tell you Charles Shaw is horrible.
There you could of asked me and saved your pallet!
QOTD: When I bought a mixed case of SLV from 1985-1987 for $80 per bottle two years ago.
April 10, 2007

mbannon
Awesome episode Gary. Hilarious. Can’t wait to play it for my neighbor, the Little-Penguin-freak-juice drinker.

Charles Shaw wines suck!
Yellow Tail sucks!
Little Penguin sucks!

Gimme a $6 Spanish white any day.
April 10, 2007

OhioPride
In the yard with your action figure in your underwear, hey where’s my Big Wheel?
Open mind yes, I just can’t usually make it through one of those bottles. Terrible.

QOTD-1999 Chateau St. Michelle Columbia Valley Cab, man that was a nice wine for $13.99
April 10, 2007

Dom
Your expressions were priceless! Great show though I wouldn’t set foot in a Trader Joes since the one near my chateau is disgusting. Actually, since I live in one of the worse “wine states” (MD) I bet our Trader Joes doesn’t even carry wine. Doesn’t matter, I won’t try it.

QOTD: Best bargain? Looking back probably buying my mint condition ‘68 Roadrunner for $800 and selling it for $1100. Of course, the new owner totalled it a day after he had it.
April 10, 2007

dublin
UNREAL!!! 2 buck chuck, I’m floored! I wouldn’t use that toxic waste to make Sangria. Franzia buys up all the grapes in Central California that is usually used for grape juice (like the kind you got in elementary school lunch line) and makes wine out of it. Ferments it in huge steel casks much like the one’s you see in front of Budwieser breweries. There’s always a business person out there to give American products a bad name. Thanks Franzia. NOT!
QOTD: Got a bottle of Cheval Blanc 99′ for $80 on WineCommune, it was life changing.
CHEERS!
April 10, 2007

glenn
i stopped 1/2 way thru – YOU DISSED LT??? don’t be coming to Cali with that ‘tude b/c we will throw down.

in the argument of Greatest Linebacker Ever and YOU DISS HIM???

sad thing is i KNEW you were going 56 and KNEW you would besmerch the great LT even before the words came out of your filthy pie-hole.

may you bathe in a tub of CS Gamay Yuck!
April 10, 2007

Matt B DC
WOW! I never thought you’d do it, Gary V. This is a top 10 episode just for the wine knowledge you dropped on ol’ chuck.

Best deal ever? I did get a mega steal on the free shipping two offers ago from WLTV, but I don’t think that’s the best. Probably when I bought my Corolla and went into the dealership with a sheet on every cost that contributes to the car. I informed them what I would pay for, what they would throw in for free, what I didn’t want, what I would deduct from my offer for those things, and then I told them how much profit they would get.
April 10, 2007

Snarf
Best bargain for a non-sale/clearance wine: 1996 Io Syrah big WS rating and local store had it priced at $20 per bottle. SHould have been $40 per bottle. Obviously an inexperienced person divided by 12 instead of 6 when posting the price (they came in 6 packs).
April 10, 2007

RonC
Great episode !!! Over the past 2 years I’ve had quite a bit of the Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. I thought the Shiraz was pretty good, the Merlot OK and the Cabernet Sauvignon a last resort. I wonder how many of your readers will acyually admit they drink this ‘wine’ on occasion.
April 10, 2007

dadobs
Dirty-gremlin-and-loose-hamster-nose…hahaha…I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks. You killed, GV…and that’s before the great facial expressions.

So which episode’s been the toughest: the one outside in the blizzard, the one where you ate raw peppers, or this one? Whatever the case, exceptionally entertaining effort. Kudos!
April 10, 2007

Kathy
A trader Joes just opened up by me. Don’t understand the mania. Was scared to try the 3-buck chuck here. Glad I didn’t. Other wines were not a deal. Can get most of them cheaper at Costco.
I heard that Costco is the #1 wine retailer in the nation. Is that so?? I have found that for buget drinking a wine from there is safe. Just not very exciting.
QOTD
Buying a Ford Pinto for 500 bones. Fixing in up, driving it for 4 years and selling it for 250 bones. Those were the good old days.
April 10, 2007

Jer
Best deal — fee shippin from WL! Nice episode, but I think I’ll pass on the Trader.
April 10, 2007

GlassRunnethEmpty
Interestingly, I added a Charles Shaw Merlot to blind tasting of random red wines. Everyone thought it was “very drinkable”.
April 10, 2007

H-Why
Okay, so I’m not running out to TJ’s to get wine. UnFortunately where I live in South Jersey, Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry wines, so I doubt that I will trek out to find event the Syrah. Thanks for taking the bullet for us all.
April 10, 2007

Bobinnati
Very entertaining. Your facial expressions are priceless. You don’t even need to speak! I’ve tried some 2 Buck in the distant past – the Merlot, Beaujolais (which was given to me), the Cab and the Shiraz. The only one I thought was worth spit was the Shiraz. Even my unsophisticated and untrained palate could tell that the others were, how to say this politely, “deficient”.

Speaking of deficient, I was at my local grocery store last night perusing the wine selection. I spent some time in the little temp controlled room where the “good stuff” is kept just drooling over some of what was there, knowing it will probably be a long time before I can ever afford any of it. Then I went out to where the more pedestrian offerings were shelved and looked for what might be a bargain. I picked out a bottle of Pillar Box Red and then found a bottle of Shiraz from a brand from Australia called Fish Eyes. It was only $5.99 which set off some alarm bells for me, but I thought, WWGD – what would Gary do? Well, Gary would be open-minded and not have preconceived notions, so I said, what the heck, I’ll try it. As you mentioned in this episode, it’s hard to screw up a Syrah (or Shiraz) so it ought to be at least tolerable. Well I opened it tonight and I’ll have to tell you, at $5.99, it is WAY overpriced. Ba-a-a-a-a-a-d. No nose to speak of, light bodied, thin, almost no real wine flavor. Stay away, stay far away. There, I was open-minded and got my **s handed to me. Oh well, not an expensive mistake.

But on the bargain side, there is a Shiraz called Purple Moon that can also be bought at TJ’s for
April 10, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Surprising effort by you!
Can’t believe you did an ep on these wines!
You are truely creative!!!
April 10, 2007

Bobinnati
Hmmm. Must be a limit on the length of a comment. What I was trying to say was Purple Moon Shiraz is far superior to Shaw Shiraz and is only around $5 per bottle. Not life changing, but great QPR and quite pleasant.
April 10, 2007

Capt M
Hey Gary, this has got to be the FUNNIEST WLTV episode EVER, bar non! I laughed from start to end. Your face when looking at the pale chard was to die laughing. This episode is worth a lot not just for the experience (that we don’t need to go through), but for the laughter it inspired. Do be careful with law suits, even though you were not trying to be funny, but were as sincere as ever. Good job. Again, I pay money for a good laughter if I have to. Time well spent.
April 10, 2007

GottaGoDrink
QOTD- Best bargain. In 2002, we get invited to a birthday party in the incredible isle of St. John, USVI, my buddy gets the villa for a week for the wife’s birthday, all of us stay for free, the following weekend at a benefit golf tournament, I win the raffle drawing…two free airline tix anywhere in the US or (you guessed it) USVI. Sweet! The buddy stocked the house with Turley, Dominus, and Heitz, and we rocked out into the night.

Gary- Great episode. You are the man of the people.
April 10, 2007

jason carey
best wine deal,,, 4 bottles 1982 Gruad Larosse in 1992 for 50 dollars a bottle.
April 10, 2007

ecola
We started buying Two Buck since we could afford to buy a case at a time (recovering beer drinkers, sorry!)

Now it’s been regulated to what we give our friends after the bar closes, since A.) they’re not wine drinkers & B.) they’re too hammered to tell that it’s crap, even though they don’t drink wine.

9 bottles left to get rid of, I think I may start using it for cooking.

ecola’s lady

QOOD: My WL wristband! I didn’t even know it was coming!
April 10, 2007

Brookhouser
Good episode…I’ll pass on the 2.00 wine and just eat the captain crunch!
April 10, 2007

Veronica
Thanks Gary!

My wine class did a Blind Tasting, and the Charles Shaw Cab was one of the ones we tasted. We all thought we were drinking Zinfandel, and at first, we liked it. But, as soon as we let the wine breathe, it turned into pretty much what you just tasted on your show. My suggestion to anyone still intent on drinking their cab, Do it really fast. You might even want to think about drinking directly from the bottle.
April 10, 2007

johnmaki
QOD:
owned Chalone stock 100 shares for many years – did nothing $8-10.
Offer by Constellation Wines to buy at~ $12 and while selling for that price a $1 share wine credit
was offered with the buyout. I bought 900 more shares to get the wine credits knowing I would get my money back in a few months on the sale. Several weeks later, Diageo made an offer at ~#14 still including the wine credit. Also a fifteen year wine club offer was made for discount pricing and free tastings at the ~8 Chalone wineries. As it turned out with the Diageo sale, BV and Sterling were added to the wine club list. This year they’ve added a $.50 wine credit/share as a bonus.
In Summary, got $1500 of wine credits (worth 50% of wine club price) and the stock appreciation to pay for it all; i.e. ~$3500 of free wine!
April 10, 2007

Autumnfox
You poor man…how strong willed you must be to continue on to the next bottle.
QOTD: Not really a shopper but getting items at 80% with an added 30% off…who could resist?
April 10, 2007

The Smartest Girl in San Francisco
WoW! What an opening shot! And there’s the little wristband! I feel like the wristband is like an easter egg — somewhere in every show, there should be a wristband…

I’m digging the hair today too! Nice and spiky. Sorta Wolverine-y.

LOL – I love it when you try to get the taste out of your mouth as you’re pouring the wine out. And I love it when you taste wines that you hate. It’s fun!

QOTD: Two free kitties.
April 10, 2007

aaronT
My first two cases of wine were 2-buck chuck (merlot and shirah). I think it helps to drink a lot of crap so you know when you get something good. Or maybe that’s just rationalization…?
April 10, 2007

BV
QOTD: Way back when, I spent $300 on an air conditioner for my brand-new Toyota Corona Mark II 1900.
It blasted cold air at me for 15 hot, humid summers. Best $300 I ever spent.
April 10, 2007

Marc
QOTD: Keyster’s in Urbandale, IA. Free beer starting at 5 on Fridays. Seeing as after a hard week’s work how much a beer is needed and seeing how free it really is, can’t get a better bargain than that.

Either that or going to all the strip clubs in Vegas for free thanks to a cabbie who was getting paid off to take us to them.

And you’re right Gary, Josh Smith? Doesn’t sound like a nice Jewish name to a levite like myself (Levine), but happy birthday dude.
April 11, 2007

Chris From NY
F… Charlie Shaw! F… Trader Joe’s! That L.T. comment was out of line. Lance Mehl????Dwayne Gordon??? Mo Lewis????? Jonathan Vilma????? Not even in Taylor’s league.
April 11, 2007

Panoca
Spectacular episode! I really enjoyed it. I never though you would be able to do an episode on 2 bucks. Great Job/effort/sacrifice!! You are the best!
QOTD: If we are talking about wine, i think the best values are from Argentina and Chile. When my wallet is thin, i buy/rely on the “X-Plorador” (Concha y Toro) or the Lopez (Argentina Blend, most Malbec). They cost around $ 5 and they deliver “the thunder” for that price.
April 11, 2007

Matt the Lurker
Ha, Chuck Shiraz is my go to wine for making sangria. Boy a lot of negative comments in here even after the disclaimers and anti-snobbery warnings. Classic episode by the way.
April 11, 2007

t_moderne
# 105 yipee!
Best bargain – my parents giving me life – didn’t cost anything.
other bargains – my own children –
somewhere in there as a bargain are some Caymus wines I bought for $14 – 90, 91’s and 92’s.
Now it’s 70 buck chuck (wagner).
April 11, 2007

Bill
Seriously, I don’t understand. I just watched Episode 18, and it behaved the way Web video should. Even if there are issues with your connection, you simply wait till the bar is solid to the end, and you can watch at your leisure.

Whatever crap technology this is, it starts over every single time. You wait 10 hours and have to hit “pause” five seconds into it, you’re back to the end of the line.

Yes, I’ve tried the link to the Quicktime version. It doesn’t even begin to work at all.
April 11, 2007

YoungDave
I Love TJ’s, and they have pretty attractive prices for their fairly impressive wine selection (other than the Charles Shaw brand), but I’m kind-of glad that these wines showed as they did. It proves that you can SOMETIMES (2 out of 6) find a decent bottle of Two Buck Chuck (considering the price point), but most of the time you get what you pay for (sugar water with alcohol). This upholds my oppinion that you can deffinitely find some world class wines at the $10-12 range if you scout for them, but expecting anything interesting at $2-4 is unrealistic.
THANK YOU, BIG G., FOR SUBJECTING YOUR PALATE TO THE DIFFICULT-TO-SWALLOW (or even taste) CONTENDERS OF THIS EP.

QOTD: Bought a car for $4500 (worth $6500), drove it across the country, used it when I lived in LA for three months, then sold it there for the same $4500. Cost for three months of transportation and a great road trip: gas and insurance only.
April 11, 2007

JOEinLA
I feel your pain GV. I was wincing with you while you tried to swirl that junk on your so recently Bordeaux’ed stained palate.

That stuff is JUNK! I can’t imagine what kind of “wine making” goes on there from added sugar to oak chips…etc.Do they actually call it wine?

Tomorrow is another day~!
April 11, 2007

KC Dan
Really funny ep , Laughed my ass off when you tryed to cut off your tongue !!! Nice .
April 11, 2007

koenraad
yeah topt 112!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

qotd: free girls :’(
April 11, 2007

Jon B.
Classic episode … Qotd 1/2 price t shirts and free wristband.
April 11, 2007

CW
The TJ’s labels vary by state. In Georgia the good ole boy distributor network forced TJ’s hand to require them to ’sell’ their wine to an existing distributor and then buy it back. It doesn’t say TJ’s on it. Also, maybe unique to Georgia, you can buy 3 buck chuck at most grocery stores, which led TJ’s to charge 2.49 in their stores.

QOTD: My life is full of monstrously bad deals that completely negate by a large margin any good ones
April 11, 2007

BobbySee
Great episode Gary. The faces you made alone were priceless. I have to say though. I can’t believe people here are talking about cooking with this stuff. If you won’t drink it why would you put it in your food? You can’t make food taste good with bad wine. Cook with what your drinking I always say.
QOTD: I was at an auction a few years ago and bought a box of 31 MFSL gold CD’s still sealed in the long cardboard boxes for $300. You remember the Mobile fidelity CD’s of all the classic rock bands? The recordings were supposed to sound better, but they cost a lot more so people didn’t buy them and the company went out of business. But the CD’s became collectors items. Anyway. I went home slapped each one up on ebay and got between $90-120 for each one! Except the Pink Floyd the wall CD which I got $250 alone for. SWEET!
April 11, 2007

Les Sebay
Gary …I’m still laughing! Your descriptions were priceless; stinky gremlins and college dorm with clothes in the corner!! Now I know what to get as gifts for my ex and enemies.
QOTD: My life, so far its been a great ride!
April 11, 2007

10SGuy
I wonder what Shaw and Franzia drink? I guarantee they don’t drink their own wines…probably Budweiser.
April 11, 2007

Bill mondavi
Vayniac wristband

What email address do we send the picture of us wearing our wristbands?

Good episode by the way..
April 11, 2007

Grasshopper
Sensei,

Great episode and I have to agree with others, love your facial expressions and think I even heard a few Vaynerclanks! I tried a bottle of the Shaw a few years ago and quickly decided that the people who were raving about this wine, knew nothing about wine.

QOTD – bought a 1960’s Wilson 8802 putter with original grip and shaft from a garage sale for $5.00. Sold it for $800!

Grasshopper
April 11, 2007

Iron Man
Gary, gotta agree with others, the cutting the tongue has now entered tasting notes lexicon.

QOTD 2000 Casa de Ermita Monastrell blend from Jumilla, around $9 and bested more expensive bottles, I miss that wine.
April 11, 2007

LeatherPalate
QOD: 212 free episodes WLTV…
April 11, 2007

Matty Matt
When Trader Joes first opened on 14th Street, I picked up all of the red $3 Buck Chucks they had cause I wanted to see what it was all about and was hoping for a decent everyday wine. I opened 1 after another and didn’t enjoy any of them. Would rather spend a few more bucks on something I actually enjoy. I guess if I was still in my 2 for $3 40s of St Ides days perhaps I would pick some of this up.
April 11, 2007

Kirkland M
Thanks for taking the bullet for us, Gary. I don’t recall ever seeing you so flumoxed and at a loss for words. Rumor has it, there is a great deal of bottle variation in CS wine because they buy grapes from all over the place. It may be part of the reason why some people claim it’s drinkable and others say it’s awful. Of course I have no way to prove this, but it’s fun to spread rumors, isn’t it?
April 11, 2007

Karl B.
Hi Gary,

my best deal was just last month when Beringer had a cellar sale and I picked up the 1992 Private Reserve Cab (95 pts Wine Spectator) for $75/bottle when it was listed at $250 retail.

I tried Three buck Chuck once and that was enough for me. I love the word play on your name.

Karl B.
April 11, 2007

Greg B.
Nice Job Gary! Your not afraid to try the Two Buck Chucks. What’s next? Boones Farm and Ripple. Just kidding. Go two dollar Shiraz!
April 11, 2007

ken
After listening to your reviews of the TRADER JOEâ€™S from THE BRONCO WINE COMPANY, CHARLES SHAW BLEND wines, Iâ€™m not quite sure that I would even use them for cooking. The possible exception might be the Syrah. Quite frankly, I am a little surprised that the camera lens did not end up with wine all over it after you tasted the Gamay and the Cab. When are people going to learn that you canâ€™t make Cab that is drinkable and sell it for â€œ$2, $3 or $4, depending what market you are inâ€?

QOTD: Best bargain that I ever got was a pair of brand new Atomic skis and bindings that I paid $300 for when they would normally retail for about $800. I wondered whether they were hot but I see that the guy I bought them from is still in business. Best wine bargain I ever got was actually from Trader Joeâ€™s. Two years ago Trader Joeâ€™s was selling Rosemount Estate GSM for $10. A steal!
April 11, 2007

boyd
Great episode. Gave me some good descriptors to tell my bro why I don’t like this juice at all. His wine “collection” is predominantly 2 buck chuck.

QOTD: Best bargain Pinot I’ve ever had is the Freja right here from WineLibrary. Great stuff.
April 11, 2007

Gman
I think this was a profound episode. Thank you, thank you thank you for taking it for the team. I have tried “TRADER JOEâ€™S from THE BRONCO WINE COMPANY, CHARLES SHAW BLEND wines” once and was at a loss for words how to describe the wine other than, wet, Red, and vague-ly alchoholy.

Best bargain was when my local and beloved wiine shop (who hasn’t gotten nearly enough of my buisiness since I found WL) had some 10+ year old Chateau Picque Calliou (sp?) on offer for $10.00/btl. I bought like a case and half and went back for more, but they said it was no longer good. What a great place.

Man, those were the days. Aged Bordeaux at soda pop prices.

G
April 11, 2007

matt long
Bought a couple of polaroid 690’s for $125 a piece and sold them on ebay for over $800 per.

Yes……..
April 11, 2007

big mitch
great episode on the shaw wines. I was very curious how you felt, I wont even cook with them
April 11, 2007

GregL
Gary,
Don’t give that Shiraz too good a score had a bottle the other day and it smelled & tasted like rotten lettuce!
G
April 11, 2007

J Crazy
Best deal? A free three days in Thailand cuz the tour guide went AWOL and left me and my girl to fend for ourselves. I called the tour agency and gave them some interesting and quite novel ways of inserting their head in different bodily orifices. The hotel and the flight was comped. 2 buck Chizzy is definately a good deal. Like buying a Yugo for 38 cents or a trip to Fresno, Cali for a roll of toilet paper. I was surprise once at how good the Chuck was. Much love to Trader Joe’s. They have great business ethic and are doing good things.
April 11, 2007

Bobinnati
Boo-boo in comment 89. Fish Eye is from Cali not Australia. Sorry, but it is still nasty no matter where it comes from.
April 11, 2007

Dale Cruse
Gary, my friend, you took one for the team on this episode.
April 11, 2007

Jim in Atlanta
Gary,
While I have not had 2 buck chuck recently, a lot of people at work who are new to wine enjoy it. So thank you for reviewing these wines. It is interesting that one new wine drinker at work said he liked the Shiraz the best of the red wines. So even new wine drinkers can tell which wines are better. We will plan to watch this episode again at work. Good job.
April 11, 2007

Ross
So it doesn’t even taste like wine, but it gets 56 points? What? How the hell does that work?
April 12, 2007

TSchampaert
Best bargain: a book I bought for 18,99. I gave twenty, they gave back on 50. I only saw when I ws at home … .
Still a whole lot of these 2-3 EUR wines out here, that put up the same show. Gruesome. Ever tried Liebfraumilch? U know then …
April 12, 2007

GeneV
Great episode. I’ve also found that vineyards in less well known areas, and vineyards with less than stellar track records seem to be able to produce a drinkable syrah or sauvignon blanc. I often find that to be the case with local wineries. So far, I have not tried a Charles Shaw that was better than the jug wines at the same price, but TJ’s does get kudos for offering a wide selection of inexpensive wines.
April 12, 2007

Rink Man
Great Show! I love that you did this. I sent the link to my brother who still brings over this lousy wine to my house and tries to convince me that it is good. ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!

QTD – My best bargain lately is getting great advice on wine from WLTV and getting great wines…love the Cava sparklers, the Menage a Trois (better than Conundrum!)and many others Thanks!

My other great bargain was buying a 2001 740 IL from a 70 year old lady who did not like the car. Best car I have ever had and I bought if for her asking price!
April 12, 2007

SoCalDaveBandito
This may have been my all time favorite episode.

Watching Gary sweat through those tastings was too much… and the title was classic “2 Buck Vaynerchuck”. Fantastic.
April 12, 2007

Michael Goldberg
You drank my wines! Yeah!

We are in the $3 Market. Out West is the $2 market.

Garry, I am laughing so hard right now other people in the law library are staring at me.

QotD: Spending $18 to make Gary Vaynerchuk take the 2 Buck Chuck Challenge.

Also, thanks for the wristband. Awesome. You’ll get the picture, don’t worry.
April 12, 2007

Randy B
First and foremost, where are my writbands? I was like the third person to request them.

Best bargain, as a kid it had to be paying $.50 to swim at the local high school’s “Swim Center.” If you were careful enough and didn’t wash the stamp off of your hand, you could swim there three days.

As an adult, best bargin was three bottles of 2000 Giscours Margaux for $29.99 apiece. I bought the stuff in a Texas “wine shop” what can I say? At least the store had air conditioning.

Ciao
April 12, 2007

Winodontist
About pissed myself when you asked for another glass after tasting the Beaujolais.
Who needs Saturday Night Live when you could watch these videos on your own time?
April 12, 2007

zny
They don’t sell this wine in NJ, but bronco sells “Crane Lake” and its starting to pop up at all the stores lately for 2-3.99. The cab is good but the syrah, merlot… disgisting! For the extra three bucks you can get a decent yellowtail!
April 13, 2007

John P
Gary, did you know that TJ’s wine makes a good drain cleaner.
Yep, and it’s cheap too. I believe in spending twice as much
and drinking half as much. A bottle of Chat Pavie 2000 will
get me a sip, but what a sip.
You’re still my destination Wine Shoppeee….
April 13, 2007

stebs1
I’ve had 2 buck chuck 2004 and 2005. I can tell you the 2005 merlot is much better than the 2004. Perhaps they had better results in 2005 vintage as your tasting might suggest. It seems like the shiraz and merlot are the only ones to consider. Thanks for doing the tASTING.
April 15, 2007

Elliot Essman
Best bargain, everything else, other than the Charles Shaw, that Trader Joe’s sells.
April 15, 2007

Charleen
Great episode…gremlins? hamsters??? only Gary would come up with that to describe the aroma!!

If you wanna taste really bad wines try a Jepson Chardonnay (CA) and a Little Pengiun White Shiraz (Australia). They are soooo bad!

Best bargains? Chilean wines…they are so cheap, but so great!
April 16, 2007

Matt B DC
Best Bargin? Probably Bombay Saphire. *rimshot*
April 16, 2007

desmaic
ouch!… why would you do it to yourself?

you know i could probably hook you up with some thunderbird or night train… maybe some boones farm apple wine product, i hear those are tasting well this vintage… sorry but it needed to be said.
April 18, 2007

Phil
Best bargain I have had is Vitano Umbria by Falesco. Its a $9 wine which I really enjoy.
April 18, 2007

cruster
The best bargain I’ve ever had is Vino-vin 2004 Pinot Gris (http://corkd.com/wine/view/13096) priced around $2.50 here in Slovakia.
April 19, 2007

Pete
What a great review — and accurate! I tried a bunch of the $2BCs back in 2003-2003 — some seemed “OK” at the time. In particular, some of the whites (chard & SB) then were not bad, I thought. But I did find they seemed to vary from batch to batch (even within the same bottle label & year). The reds always seemed like “bad grape juice” to me — but maybe I was missing the hint of hamster and gremlin!

In later years, the chard, too, became sweet, light, pretty yucky. So haven’t touched them for a while. My mom tried to convince me their cabernet was not bad — so I bought a bottle, but dreaded opening it. Just did it now, in honor of this great review. I have to agree — it’s just as bas as I remembered the bad 2000 reds.

On the other hand, I like light SBs if they’re not too sweet — I might blow 3 bucks and try the Sauv Blanc just in hopes that it might be a nice summer wine.
April 23, 2007

Drink of the Week 2.0 » Blog Archive » Sponsor Spotlight - Wine Library TV
[...] Gary’s passion and deep knowledge of the topic makes each show informational and fun to watch. In over 200 episodes, Vaynerchuck has tasted everything from Trader Joe’s 2 Buck Chuck to Opus One and answered viewer questions on a myriad on topics. If you enjoy wine, Wine Library TV is a must watch for all the latest from Gary Vaynerchuk. [...]
April 28, 2007

Neal
WOW, Boones Farm has some competition!
June 6, 2007

Brett
I got into wine by getting deals at Trader Joe’s. I was lucky because that was the time of the famous/infamous 2002 Shiraz incident. I had bought a case of it. I’d still have some of it, but my roomate and friend drank it while I was out of town thinking it was just the usual 2-buck Chuck and I wouldn’t mind.
June 14, 2007

Tim
Best wine deal was, ironically, at Trader Joe’s back when I lived in LA in the early ’90’s. Picked up a few bottles of Ridge Merlot from the mid-’70’s for $4.99 a bottle; returned the next day after trying the first bottle to find nothing left… will try one in the parking lot next time

And the SB is flabby, Muscat-blended crap… at least when I had some at a party a year or so back with the classic “Shaw” label.
June 29, 2007

Larry
2007 California State Fair, 391 Chardonnays tasted:

While full results from this year’s competition aren’t available yet, wine industry sources confirm the 2005 Charles Shaw vintage was the highest-scoring chardonnay in a blind tasting by judges who reviewed wines without regard to price.
July 6, 2007

Ferrigno
HAHA can’t believe the results in the state fair… Who were the judges?
July 15, 2007

A Judgement in California | Winecast
[...] is the bottles judged at the California State Fair came from a vastly better batch than what I, and other wine podcasters, have [...]
September 25, 2007

jcbphd
I’m confused on the Beaujolais. Am I just playing with the action figure while I’m in my underwear, or is the action figure actually being played with inside of my underwear?
September 29, 2007

Trish
Hey Gary,

Again, I appreciate your raw honesty. A friend who doesn’t really drink wine recommended this to me because she loved it. I thought that for someone who doesn’t like wine, it has to be good. So far I’ve uncorked only the Chard, but I liked it. I found it to be buttery, but does loose its flavor quickly. The year on it was 2006, so I don’t know how much of a difference if any there is between 2005 and ‘06. I got two bottles, we’ll see if I like the second one.
Keep on with the reviews… I do like your willingness to be completly honest.

Thanks,
Trish
October 4, 2007

Kristen
I have to say I never tried a wine with a gremlin in the glass! Thanks for doing this episode, it was definitely informative. I live right by a Trader Joe’s and so I buy 2 Buck Chuck all the time (but I’ve evolved from drinking it to using it for cooking). If I do drink a TBC, I’ll go for the Sauvignon blanc.

QOTD: The Dolce and Gabanna sunglasses that I got for free at work. Someone lost them and it had been several weeks, so I got to take them. And they retail for $135!
October 23, 2007

MtnCharlie
Great episode. I have tried a couple of 2BC’s Cabernet. Wasn’t bad, but also not very interesting. I don’t remember the vintage. I have heard that there is a great deal of variation even within a single vintage of a single variety. Kind of a crap shot.

QOTD: Nothing very memorable
October 29, 2007

blobic
Great show! It would be be interested in seeing a redo of that show tasting the follow-up vintage of these wines, just to see if the quality of these wines changes significantly from year to year.
November 1, 2007

ninefingers
Just looked at the 2-buck-chuck episode.
The best bargin wine I ever bough was the 1965 Carruades de Chateau Lafite for $5.95 a bottle.
It tasted better than the 1961 and 1964 Ch. Lafite. It also lasted (The Carruades) 10 years in my cellar.
November 5, 2007

medo
Just had to say something about my best bargain.. some days agon:

1990 Heinrich Braun Niersteiner Ã–lberg Riesling SpÃ¤tlese Trocken @ 5â‚¬/7$
and a
1990 Heinrich Braun Niersteiner Ã–lberg Riesling Auslese Trocken @ 2,49â‚¬/4$ !!
November 9, 2007

redcuso
one of the good things about working for T.J.’s is that I will give you an honest opinion about the wine rather than disappoint you with a poor recommendation. Although most of what we sell is average at best, there are some great values to be found still. Even if you are a jaded old wine geek like myself.
November 11, 2007

Chrisfs
You rock for reviewing 2 Buck Chuck!
I have been hoping for this review for ages.

I drink the reds and find they are ok for ordinary drinking
November 14, 2007

Craig S
Interesting episode. I had to go back and watch it. I am a fan of Charles Shaw, and I was anxious to see what you thought of it.
I drink three of their wines. My favorites are the Shiraz, the Cab, the Sauvignon Blanc. I must admit my favorite is the Cabernet. It needs to warm to provide the best flavor, but it has been a consistent drinkable wine. Good for popping a bottle when you are by yourself watching the tube and you don’t want to worry about having to drink the entire bottle.

Also, wonderful to take to large groups where people don’t know much about wine…. just about everyone can drink it.
November 28, 2007

K
I had the “2 buck chuck” while visiting family in CA. I’m not sure which one it was but for $2 it wasn’t bad, and I mean for $2, maybe $2.50. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless your getting a bit tippsy off a good bottle then swiching to this.
November 28, 2007

Lindsey
Even though I live in Spain and Trader JoeÂ´s wine is not available “in this market”, still watched and loved this episode. Especially the anecdote about buying the Shaq action figures at the dollar store in the mall. GV, I heart you.
November 29, 2007

Mario Salas
Best bargain? For 10 bones, the Villa Maria Merlot/Cabernet blend from New Zealand is great stuff and damn tasty….if it was double the price, I would still buy it and enjoy it.
November 29, 2007

Joey
Great episode. I’ve tried all of them, and agree that the S.Blanc is the best of the bunch, and a pretty decent wine for the $. The Shiraz was barely okay in my book. The Chardonney was not very good, but not as bad as you thought. The Cabernet and Merlot are simply train-wrecks.
November 29, 2007

ev
QOD——–2001 Hogue Genesis Merlot 1.5l for $9.99 in 2006
December 5, 2007

Linda Blakely
Brutal honesty. I love it! I’ve always wondered about how this wine tasted, now I know. I’m going to link this vlog episode on my blog. So many of my former customers wanted us to carry “Two Buck Chuck”. They’ll be able to see why we never carried it.
December 10, 2007

Mark
My best wine bargain is probabaly Les Hauts de la Brune 2004 Coteaux du Languedoc. I couldn’t believe that this was a 9.00 dollar bottle of wine. Again with the Southwest France region. Gary I’m seeing where your going with the impressive value in these wines. Very few fail to deliver.
December 20, 2007

Brandon T.
I believe that drinking Chuck is a good one, especially when it winds up scratching its scabby hemroids
December 20, 2007

Ed Katalbas
I am not impressed. I think wine tasting should be done in a blind manner, without exception.
December 26, 2007

winecountrytripping
we have a Trader Joe’s down the street and buy a case of Cab when we’re there ($24). We drink it while we’re eating nachos and watching the game. It’s like a twinkie. if you want cake you go and make your self a cake from scratch, or go to the bakery… but when you want a twinkie, you go to the corner store and buy a twinkie. Both are, technically, cake… but not really. Both are good for what they are. Thats how we feel about two buck chuck.
January 20, 2008

April
I lead some wine classes in my area…and can’t wait to bust out your line about the gremlin who needs a shower! Love it.

Hopefully I won’t need to use it refer to any of my wines.
January 20, 2008

April
Can’t wait to use the “gremlin who needs a shower” line when I lead one of my next wine classes…

Good stuff!
January 22, 2008

Filip
How can i buy ‘charles shaw’ in Polnd. Please send me answer on my e-mail: filisco@op.pl

Regards from Poland
February 2, 2008

mrobleto
Great work on reviewing the Bronco wines. Results were like many suspected with a couple surprises. One comment, you bag on Captain Crunch as being a negative when actually the guy that invented Captain Crunch (no joke) has an awesome line of wines under the label C.G. D’Arie (out of Sutter County in Nor Cal I beleive).

Check em out, should make for a great show and a new impression of the label Captain Crunch!
February 19, 2008

thefanjestic
How about a 2 Buck Vaynerchuck? What would that wine taste like?
February 21, 2008

Daniel
Right on about the cabernet sauvignon.
February 29, 2008

Lisa
I stumbled across you in iTunes and have watched a couple episodes and finally had time to sit down and check out the website. Glad to see you do the Chuck, as it is a staple in my kitchen. I buy a case every month or so, usually all Shiraz. I am learning, by watching you, that I know almost nothing about wine or tasting, but I’m trying to figure it out!
March 3, 2008

Whirl
Hey whirl man, why don’t you give it a whirl or maybe just give it a whirl. I’ve got a good idea, how bout giving it a whirl. You left out a whirl on the shiraz tasting. New drinking game, every time you say whirl we all have to drink a bottle of “Shaw”. We’ll Whirl to that!!! Hiccup
March 13, 2008

Lawrence Leichtman
I have had a lot of CS wines because my friends thought they were getting this great deal and they wouldn’t tell me so I was blinded. I was never blinded because I have never had one that tasted like real wine. And even if you got one, the next bottle of it would be different. These wines and using the term loosely for most of them would have no possibility of aging into anything but vinegar.
March 18, 2008

Rachel
so… You’re the reason Target and K-Mart are now so anal about returns? Thanks a lot.

The best deal I think I’ve had and seen on wine would be Sebastiani’s Aquinas Merlot. I believe it ended up being about $4.00 after discounts and rebates. You might have described it as a ‘FRUIT BOMB!’ but its nose was bursting with blackberries; for the price, I’ve never had a smoother, cleaner finishing Merlot. It would put TJ’s to shame. On that note, while you always tell us to trust our own pallet, I think I’ll save my fifteen dollars and buy a bottle of good wine instead of six bottles of mediocre wine. Thanks for the heads up.
March 20, 2008

Karen
Hey Gary–Just thought I’d check out this episode–almost a year ago. Crazy! QOTD: Probably the Roble wine that I bought from WLTV. I think I’ve bought that one a few times and loved it every time. Cheers!
April 11, 2008

vegascloud
as an employee of TJ’s, i have to agree w/ you on the “chucks”. it might be the best-selling American label ever, but sometimes it lacks in substance. vintage to vintage is different–as to be expected–but it is a cost-effective solution. in blinds it always does well, but most people dont realize the factors that make a decent wine. its good, if for the only reason, to turn more people on the the fact that you dont have to pay lots of $$$ for a reasonable bottle of wine.
April 12, 2008

Philippe
you should have tried the cab before the Shiraz, that’s the right drinking order. maybe it would have not been so bad! thank for doing this for us all!
April 17, 2008

ChrisClark
I have a bottle of the Merlot that was given as a housewarming gift back in 2005 (it’s an 03 or an 05, methinks… doesn’t have the Trader Joe’s label, though). I’m the only one in my house that drinks and we don’t have company often, but I’ve been wondering about opening it up anyway. Now that I know it smells like a dirty Gremlin, I’m not so sure.

Thanks for the episode!
April 30, 2008

Jesse Porter
My experience with the Chuck was different — after avoiding it like the plague for years (because how could a $2 wine possibly be worth drinking?), I was shocked and intrigued by the results of the ‘07 California State Fair, where the 2005 Chardonnay got a double-gold. I bought a few bottles and, while I certainly didn’t think it was a 98-point wine, I knew I’d found a great value. All summer long the Charles Chardonnay was my beach wine, a role in which it excels.

I definitely agree with other bloggers that there has to be some batch variation involved (which makes sense, given the quantities produced). From time to time, a bottle I’d had one week wouldn’t taste the same as the one from the previous week, despite sharing the same vintage. Likely the bottle you tasted wasn’t the same as the one those California judges tasted.

My advice is to keep trying the CS year after year. You’re not wasting your money…. what money?? It’s two bucks. Who knows, you might discover the perfect beach wine. That alone is well worth the paltry investment.

Keep up the good work—

JP
June 8, 2008

Paul V
The best deal that I ever got was a Exp Syrah 2003 and 2004 for $13 in PA. Incredible wine. Unfortunately the RH Phillips no longer makes such wine. the 2005 was horrible and it is now no longer. Such a shame.

BTW: most hilarious episode I’ve seen thus far. Keep up the great work.
June 8, 2008

Karl Laczko
I’m sure I watched this episode last year, but didn’t comment. This was a full LOL moment reviewing this, the Gamay “Nouveau” was a classic moment.

Freaky to see that hairstyle as well, after so long! It may have been interesting to see these blind tasted, to check if you would have come close on the varietals (from what you said I doubt it!), but for these wines blind tasting would have been pointless.

QOTD – Not sure actually, maybe getting this job where they pay me to travel the world.
June 22, 2008

Melissa
I buy this wine at the Trader Joe’s in Cary, NC and the labels aren’t the same. They don’t say “Trader Joe’s” just “Charles Shaw”…I wonder why that is…
June 25, 2008

David Cole
I’m going back and checking out old shows and I REALLY LIKED THIS ONE! Funny how folks try to pass stuff off as wine!

QOTD: i was at Cost Plus once and purchased Domain Chandon White Star Champaign for $3.21 per bottle. The clerk agreed to help me and showed me the price, I knew what it was so i purchased three cases and left ASAP! Sold one case to my old man $120! My net-net was Profit $4.44, LOL!
July 29, 2008

Slushpuppy
The Sanchez Spanish wine at TJ’s for Six bones is an absolute steal!

Smell it first.
July 31, 2008

spyder47
I’ve had a few TBCs in the past – but much prefer to pool my $2, $3 and $4 to get some wine that is more memorable. Way to take one for the team GV.

Oh btw, David Cole … nice way to rip off Cost Plus AND your dad. 8~/
August 28, 2008

DANIEL
Gary, Thank You for your opinion on Charles Shaw wines. You had me totally busting up as I drank a glass of 2Buck Chuck Cab 2005……….. Occasionally I will find a good 7 year old austrilian Cab. for 99 cents at the 99 cent store but I have to look for about a year to find a couple of cases. The store has 99% crap but The 1% is the real deal. My Favorite wine is Chateau Marguax by Lachien Vineyards.
Your super Fun and respect your numbers on the tasting. Take Care Daniel from Marina Del Rey, California sitting on a Yacht.
P.S. 3 cases on board and the 2 Buck Chuck was given to me, thats why I googled You to get another
Opinion of what the F–K I was drinking! Yup the 2005 is about 76 Points at Best. It’s Box wine Quality. Good for friends that don’t know good wine.
September 4, 2008

Withnail
Still one of my all-time favorite episodes.
September 14, 2008

Victoria
I do drink the Charles Shaw, mostly because it’s all I can afford. Occasionally I will splurge on another brad, but I won’t (can’t!) pay more than $15 for any wine, and usually less than that.

I used to drink the Merlot because I liked the fruityness, but my friend got me hooked on Cabernet so now I stick mostly with that.
October 8, 2008

Daniel Kemp 4 Earth Emperor
The best bargain I ever got was a mini-tripod from the dollar store for a buck.
November 1, 2008

Phillip (PhillyMac)
My wife and I were laughing out loud, I watched the whole episode. The catch? I don’t even drink wine but it was interesting enough to make me want to try and learn how to taste them Well done.
November 1, 2008

Mark
In the late 1970’s you could buy BV Rutheford Cabernet for $7. Glad I drank more than my share back then, ha ha.
November 2, 2008

Ray Barnes
While visiting relatives in Granada Hills CA two years ago I sampled the Charles Shaw cabernet sauvignon, and I think the chardonnay. The red was execrable, the white somewhere between fair and mediocre. On a return visit to the local Trader Joe’s during that stay, I bought a few other bottles that costed a few dollars more, including a port-styled Zinfandel from Paso Robles, that were much more enjoyable.

The best bargain actually drank was a 1985 St. Josef’s (Canby OR) Cabernet Sauvignon purchased for $32 (only 20% off) in late 2005. The delightful couple who own this estate were very kind to let me taste this wine, and it was BEAUTIFUL. The cork bottom was rubbed on a plain piece of white paper, and the color was strong enough, it could have been used for calligraphy. When your glass has been empty for awhile but that jammy aroma is hanging on and on, and you can still taste it a minute after swallowing, you know you have found something special. I have one bottle of this left, and it likely still has plenty of life.
November 20, 2008

mikek
New to WLTV…been lurking for ~3 months. LOVE your show!

QOTD: Savory & James Cream Jerez…at 9 “bones” is really good sherry!(been drinking this for years!…used to be 5.99!) Blows Harveys Bristol Cream(which is terrible stuff, btw) AWAY!

Recently, I found the 2005 Capcanes Mas Donis for 10 bucks to be a great value from Spain! Open and decant for about 2 hours and this is a great bottle of wine!

Thanks for all the effort! You really ARE changing the wine world!
November 21, 2008

Toni
Wine:
4.15 EUR for a Clos Moulin Pontet 2005 (haut medoc). It easily rivals any 20+ EUR bottle. (That would probbably translate to 40 USD in californian wine…)

General:
Bought a condo for 178,000.00 german marks (translates to 89,000.00 EUR) in 2000. It was worth estimated at 225,000.00 EUR in 2007.
January 13, 2009

Norm Schoen
Dude, totally was cracking up during the Gamay tasting……..(Hmmm, action figure from your underpants???).
Best deal EVER was buying Magnums of 1998 Staglin Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for $75/ bottl/e
January 18, 2009

Danl Cooney SpiritGuy
Gary, You had me, my wife and two sons cracking up over your reaction to the Trader Joes Gamay Bouj. The best wine deal recently was a close out on a South African table red wine I paid $4.00 for. I went back the next day and bought their last two bottles. Danl
January 20, 2009

Chris Lotz
my two cents: stay away from chuck shaw. my best deal: knowing people and getting the preferred customer discount. because you’re no one without friends
February 21, 2009

Murso
Fred Franzia has done alot in and for the wine industry. As others note, the whole debacle and hysteria over 2 Buck Chuck is nothing but a clusterfuck of a headache for those in the wine retail industry. I think it is shit,I wouldn’t drink it ,and I resisted with all my reasonable resources from bringing it into my sets. I had to constantly defend my actions, which were purely in the interest of protecting the consumer. Cheap assed stupid consumers yelled at me for not helping them save money ( actually, I’d bring in numerous other “glut juice” wines with similar costs, but much higher quality). Supervisors yelled at me for not making a buck off of it (losing potential ‘profit’. Yea, right.). I personally found it a bit unethical, verging on immoral, to knowingly make money off of total garbage. I’d liken it to asking them to block of the deli counter, and stock the store with potted meat product, or “commodity meat” as Hasil Adkins says. Close the bakery too, and just sell Wonder bread. “Howz that grab ya?”, I’d ask.
February 21, 2009

Murso
QotD – In the 1970’s, my older sister worked for an international charter airline, and their policy was Parents fly free. Anywhere they flew, worldwide. Family siblings flew for $25! (standby). I was 15 in 1976, and my dad and I went all across the south of Spain for 2 weeks. It was absolutely breathtaking, to say the least.
March 15, 2009

Lou Paglia
there have been wild swings in quality with TB Chuck. i haven’t had it this year or the Trader’s Joe private label, but in my experience, the years have much wider swings than the changes from one year to another in any other brand.
March 15, 2009

Tracey
My best deal was a pair of New Diesel Jeans off EBay for $9.99.
My best wine deal so far is a case of 2007 Domaine St. Pierre Cotes du Rhone for $179.
March 15, 2009

Jennifer Barfield
I cannot stand Charles Shaw. I like reds, and I’ve found the 3 buck Chuck (I’m in WA state) is one of the worst I’ve had. I’m no wine expert, but the best way I can describe it is “perfumy” and the alcohol taste is sometimes overpowering. Definitely off-balance. I don’t touch it anymore.
March 18, 2009

Reg Underwood
My two best wine deals:

$6.99 for a bottle of 1987 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. Retailed @ $69.99 at the time. It was a cashier mistake.

$15.00 a bottle for 6 bottles of 2005 Pahlmyer Jason’s Red. Retailed @ $50.00. It was a close out deal at Safeway.
March 22, 2009

Donna S
I so agree with you on the 2-buck chuck. The Syrah is the only one I could drink if fored, but then even many great cabs make me want to spit them out. I’m the Chianti lover!!!!!! Don’t even like Stag’s Leap or FC…etc…
April 21, 2009

DannyG
I sell artificail heart valves for a living…but your webshows absolutly make me want to chuck everything and become a wine taste tester or conesseur(which ever comes first) for the rest of my life. You are hilarious….but right on!
April 28, 2009

Karen
QOTD: A few years ago, I legitimately got a $120 electric toothbrush for $12 when the price came up wrong because the store policy was if that happened and you pointed it out to them, you got the item for 10% of it’s cost. Not too shabby!
May 8, 2009

Bobbie Smith
Loved this. I use this stuff to cook, especially the merlot, but that is about it. There are much better wines in the under $10 price range that still make you feel like you got a deal. I guess though if you can get 5 bottles for the same price that feels like more of a deal. I like to enjoy my deals though. A friend once told me, if you wouldn’t buy it a full price, don’t buy it on sale. I feel like these are sale wines. Good to know about the Sauvignon Blanc with summer coming. Hope that they haven’t changed who they are buying grapes from.
Best deal I have ever gotten: Nothing like any of these but it included wine. Spent three months in Europe, drinking great wine, eating great food, meeting wonderful people etc. for less than $3000 including my plane ticket and Eurail Pass. I did sleep on some benches, but that was in Pamplona and everybody does that during the run of the bulls. It wasn’t too long ago and I am very frugal.
May 12, 2009

VIC in BAMA
You can like it or hate it but I dought you could pick it out of a group of four more higher priced wines. We are talking about a wine that cost 2,3 or even four dollars someplaces that has won double gold , not once but on several different occassions and even in the state of California. I was at Trader Joes last week and if you could see the wine leave that store by the case you would think that the experts are simply jealous of the fact that TBC is selling 5 million bottles of wine through only one small merchant distributor like Trader Joes. I tried it and it’s as good as any other wines out there, I am not a wine snob and would not pay $50 dollars a bottle for grape juice but I will pay $2.79 a bottle for a great little table wine as Charles Shaw.. Thanks Mr. Franza
May 26, 2009

looper
Funny show. Ironically, it doesn’t make me want to boycott Charles Shaw. It makes me want to go Shiraz instead of any of the others. But overall, brutal scores for these wines. They might as well be in boxes with the franzia name on them.
July 5, 2009

MxcnMrcnZrr
A very wise man once said, “You know, expectations are a son of a bitch.” That of course would be Gary Vay—ner—–chuk. He said that right after tasting the Anderson Valley Claudia Spring’s Pinot Noir. This is right after he scored it an 88. Then he said,”However, I am being a little tough, because if this were a 35 dollar Burgundian wine, I’d probably like it a little more.

I am knew to the vlog I love it. The one thing that bugs me is that the tastings are not blind. I think to be truly impartial you need a blind tasting. Gary agrees, I’m not sure why he hasn’t gone to exclusively blind tasting. Again, love the show. Keep it up.
August 16, 2009

Maggie
Up until I went raw vegan seven months ago and had to give up alcohol altogether, 2 buck chuck merlot was all I would drink, for two reasons: 1) it’s the only wine that reliably never gave me a hangover, nor headache of any kind (even just one mouthful of some wines would give me a headache) and 2) I really enjoyed drinking it. I don’t know if the change to TJ’s brand included changes in the way it was made, or if Gary and just have different taste buds. For the record, I grew up in wine country and did do wine tasting while still there, so I’m not a wine newbie. That doesn’t necessarily make me a discriminating wine drinker. But I did love the TBC merlot while I was still a wine drinker, so unless it’s changed radically I would probably still love it. That’s my input.
September 4, 2009

Lori
I like the Sauvignon Blanc.
October 3, 2009

Pearl Boggs
I need some answeres. can you ship to washington state.. please let know.. my zip code is 99139

thank you so very much Pearl Boggs
October 17, 2009

Mike
How could You taste melon in the blanc one?
Lemon grass is ok, but never mentioned melon in any wine.
These white wines taste soooooo grossssss
October 17, 2009

DDB
Best deal ever? 2 bottles of 99 Lafite, for free. All I had to do is sell my body, to a lonely wino. How sad. I’m not kidding about the Lafite either
October 28, 2009

mikem
2 Buck upchuck, the Chevy Nova of wine (with no radio).

Best deal: in 1988, 3 mixed cases of 1976 German riesling, good producers, for 6 bucks a bottle. Still have 4 or 5 bottles left.
October 28, 2009

DDB
Yes, I risked my future with my fiancee for some wine. i am an amazing guy.
November 9, 2009

John J.
qotd: I’m always happy with the few wine stores that will have dollar above cost days a couple times a year. Easy way to save hundred’s or more on wine.

Gary, loved your description in the beau nouveau they were peddling. Would like to see your thoughts on a vin jaune.