Two-Buck Chuck Means Competitors

By OWEN MORRIS

Its official name is Charles Shaw, but most people know the Trader Joe’s wine better as Two-Buck Chuck. As its nickname suggests, the wine costs two dollars in many states, though it’s three in Missouri due to tax laws.

But none of that really matters, because here’s no Trader Joe’s in Kansas City. But after picking up some bottles of Two-Buck Chuck while I was in St. Louis recently, I decided to find out whether there were any competitors in the same price range a little closer to home.

I quickly learned that apart from wine coolers and bum wine, there isn’t much available for under five bones. But at the second liquor store, I finally found two wines to compete against the Charles Shaw: Fish Eye and Papio, both of which cost $4.99.

So with three Merlots and just over $13 spent, a few friends and I got to drinking.