Bargain wine find @ TJ's

sickdog

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 5, 2006
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An amazing soft, smooth Merlot like red wine. I was sure was an accident of pricing, went back and bought a few boxes. Trader Joes 2016 Charles Shaw 2016 Red Blend. $1.99 per bottle. Compares to Turning Lief Merlot @ $7.00 or more. Someone could relabel at $ 7. 00 with no customer complaints.
 

gbg

Miki Dora status
Jan 22, 2006
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I dunno man, the Two Buck Chuck is a loss leader at Trader Joe's. Questionable to even cook with it. That being said, I would drink it if there was nothing else and it was after 2 a.m.
The last thing I would ever do is finish the night with garbage.
 

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
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I dunno man, the Two Buck Chuck is a loss leader at Trader Joe's. Questionable to even cook with it. That being said, I would drink it if there was nothing else and it was after 2 a.m.
Wines like that have a lot of additives that make it more palatable and arguably tasty from non-wine drinkers perspective. Most notably super concentrated grape syrup that gives it a subtle sweetness and a grape soda like purple color. Same with Barefoot and other <$5 brands. To someone who is new to wine, I guess I could see it tasting good. When I was too young to know better, I was happy drinking wine from a box or a jug.
 

sickdog

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 5, 2006
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Oh you naysayers. I guess I should have said I have been drinking Two Buck Chuck Occasionally for about 8 years. Have tried to make it palatable by leaving it out to breath, mixing berry juice with it, even microwaved it once. I know pro blenders can do some great work, so I thought I would try try the "Red Blend". went to take a sip and instead of the bite I was accustomed to was blown away by how superior it was to anything I had ever (USA )gotten for under $6. As I said I thought the price was a mistake. Hell I've spent two seasons in France, I know cheap wine, was just trying to turn on some erBB members who were on a budget to a real find. I have never bought cases before now. Maybe set up a bet on a wine tasting, EZ money.

I remember when the surf bum, and Animal House settings were all Red Mountain. Years after I had stopped drinking it, read on a label "Now made from real grapes."
 

enframed

Tom Curren status
Apr 11, 2006
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Del Boca Vista, Phase III
Wines like that have a lot of additives that make it more palatable and arguably tasty from non-wine drinkers perspective. Most notably super concentrated grape syrup that gives it a subtle sweetness and a grape soda like purple color. Same with Barefoot and other <$5 brands. To someone who is new to wine, I guess I could see it tasting good. When I was too young to know better, I was happy drinking wine from a box or a jug.
Ah man, there's decent box wines even from California now, but the deals on box wines are French and Spanish. 3L bag in box for $20-25 and well made. Not the best fruit, obviously, but totally drinkable, and no additives (besides sulphur and yeast).
 

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
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Ah man, there's decent box wines even from California now, but the deals on box wines are French and Spanish. 3L bag in box for $20-25 and well made. Not the best fruit, obviously, but totally drinkable, and no additives (besides sulphur and yeast).
For sure I hear that! As you probably know a lot of world wineries are not leveraged to the gills the way producers here are. Makes it easier to put out a quality product at lower price.

As for the additives, a lot of that crap is probably illegal in Europe. In the US, since wine does not fall under FDA, they do not have to list those sorts of things on the label.