Charles Shaw Wines - Give Me A Break
Dec 11 '02 (Updated Sep 26 '03)
The Bottom Line Yes, the wine is cheap. It's value-priced, fine for large parties, but I will not be buying more. Don't believe the internet rumors.
A couple of times this year, while shopping for wine, I have been approached by others who have suggested that I should visit Trader Joe's Market and grab a few cases of wine from the Charles Shaw Winery.
I heard the story twice already... United Airlines (so it is rumored) had to return a huge shipment of Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay wine because of new policies instituted post-9/11. Specifically, it was not allowing the use of corkscrews (to open wine bottles) on flights because a corkscrew could potentially be used as a weapon.
A few weeks ago, I did visit a couple of Trader Joe locations in Murrieta and Whittier, California. The wine, indeed, is being sold for an ultra-low, blowout price of $1.99 per 750ml bottle. And there were, indeed, people buying this wine by the case. In Murrieta, I witnessed store personnel wheeling hand trucks of this stuff out the door for some customers. People were buying multiple case-lots of this wine. Perhaps for holiday entertainment... that makes sense. I surely hope they were not buying this wine for long term cellaring.
Is the wine really good? Why are people buying this stuff in such huge quantities? Personally, I don't like any of the Charles Shaw wines that I've tried, and I think rumor and tall-tales have created a marketplace for what is, I believe, a pretty cruddy wine which is being sold based on the power of a great marketing myth.
My suspicion is, in part, supported by a recent story (Dec. 7, 2002) published in the Los Angeles Times:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-wine7dec07001437.story?null
Check it out. Now, as to the wines:
Charles Shaw California Merlot 2001
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Alcohol: 12.5% by volume.
Appearance: Dark ruby color with black-purple tone.
Aroma: Lavender and dark fruit with slightly fishy/waxy highlights.
Flavor: Cherry, blackberry; somewhat astringent and sour. Purchased two bottles; tried them two weeks apart with consistent tasting results. Rot gut; not recommended. May be useful for cooking; I paired this wine with a stinky cigar.
Verdict: 1 star.
Appearance: 3/5
Aroma: 11/25
Flavor: 17/40
Body: 5/10
Overall Quality: 10/20
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My Score: 46/100 - Rot Gut.
Charles Shaw California Chardonnay 2000
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Alcohol: 12.5% by volume.
Appearance: Pale yellow, clear with a faint green-yellow hue.
Aroma: Very direct; sweet pear with a faint trace of lemon.
Flavor: Fruity and fresh, leaning to a semi-dry range. Soft texture, slightly creamy, easy on the palate with a velvety sugar and vanilla core; finishes with a lightly sweet pear flavor. Hmmm... kind of reminds me of Christmas jelly candies. Recommended for casual wine drinkers, especially those who tend to prefer something semi-dry. I will not be buying more, but it is drinkable.
Verdict: 2 stars.
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 15/25
Flavor: 28/40
Body: 6/10
Overall Quality: 14/20
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My Score: 67 -- 2 stars.
Charles Shaw California Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
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Alcohol: 12.5% by volume.
Appearance: Dark plum color.
Aroma: Rich, almost port-like tones, minus the alcohol heat; black cherry, plum and raisin.
Flavor: Slightly sweet entry, full fruit flavor, predominately plum, cranberry and pomegranate. Silky mouthfeel, but somewhat thin. Light-to-medium bodied, thin and fruity in the finish. Not sure what residual sugars are like, but this one borders on the low end of the semi-dry range.
Verdict: 2¾ stars.
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 18/25
Flavor: 30/40
Body: 6/10
Overall Quality: 15/20
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My Score: 73 -- 2¾ stars.
Price and Availability: $1.99 per 750ml bottle at Trader Joe's.
Cellared and bottled by Charles Shaw Winery, Napa, California.
And, finally, as to all six bottles (two of each varietal) that I tried: I found, in each and every instance, that the corks used to seal the bottles were of inferior quality and flaked easily. If you buy this wine, drink it now. Avoid the 2001 Merlot (the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon is better). The 2000 Chardonnay is "okay," but simple. I don't recommend any of these wines, but I did enjoy investigating the rumor.
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Member: Tom Carr
Location: Southern California
Reviews written: 1090
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