I'm not rich, and I live near a Trader Joe's here in Napa. I've tried all the Chucks, and the chardonnay is the only one worth two bucks. The reds and the blanc are OK, but I wouldn't buy them for anything other than a picnic.

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I buy wine at Trader Joe's all the time, and I have NEVER, ever seen one for sale at $1.99. The cheapest I've seen is 3-something.

Maybe stuff is just more expensive in Chicago.

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Well, it's a crap shoot. Ideally you'd open the bottle in the parking lot to see if it is any good. If it is run back in and buy a case because the next time you get a bottle (red or white) it may suck. They make wine in huuuuuuge quantities at a time so quality is all over the map.

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Well, here's what a State Fair Ribbon is worth.

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Oops. No href. http://www.vinography.com/archives/2007/06/stop_the_state_fair_madness.html

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I agree with Bob Mc. I can't do their reds (believe me, I want to like them!), but this 05 Chard is actually quite nice for 2 bucks. Having it around for a light drink on a hot day or even for some cooking is why I bought a case.

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I'm not sure what a "Commercial Wine Competition" is but I bet the Napa wines that cost $100s aren't in it.

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I always have at least a bottle of this in my fridge. My previous favourite wine cost about $20 (rarely I could find it on great sale for $14 or $17). This tastes as nice as that did. It's not stellar, but for an ordinary every-day wine for someone such as myself with little budget (and an admittedly unrefined pallate), it is nice. Not the best, but who can afford that? I always said why spend more ~ it all tastes like lighter fluid anyway. I've changed my mind ~ I do actually (mostly) like the Two Buck Chuck. Their reds are a bit iffey ~ sometimes good, but when bad, they're awful, but that's the nature of reds. White wine can at least be sweetened with a dash of juice if it makes you cringe.

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Hopefully this will help California get out of its chardonnay slump. The Wall Street Journal has had a couple articles over the past year describing how poor even the pricey California chards have been the last decade or two. Why pay $60 for a crappy CA chard, when you can pay $2 and send a message to the overpriced CA wine companies?
It's time CA starts taking its chard seriously again, and if it takes me buying cases of Two Buck for the next few years, I'm all for it...as things are today, I have nothing to lose.

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This post SO hurts my eyes.

"I'm not a white wine guy, but for $1.99 it has to be worth a try" - you mean just like owning a Yugo was worth a try? Just like invading Iraq was worth a try? Com'on Bob, what do you think the chances are of you getting a bottle (of the millions made) that tasted as good as the ones the judges tasted?

And to Commenter #9, above, "Why pay $60 for a crappy CA chard, when you can pay $2 and send a message to the overpriced CA wine companies?" - you're joking, right? How does buying a taco from a street vendor send a message to the owners of a one-star Michelin restaurant?

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