US: 'Two-Buck Chuck' risks losing nickname - report

By Andy Morton | 25 January 2013

Two low-priced Californian wines that earned the name 'Two-Buck Chuck' will now cost US$2.49, according to a local report.

The Charles Shaw Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon have been available for $1.99 at Trader Joe's stores in California for the past 11 years. But they may now lose their nickname because of the price hike, the Press Democrat reported on Tuesday (22 January).

One customer suggested they could now be called Upchuck, it said.

A spokesperson for brand owner Bronco Wine Co, which owns about 45,000 acres in California, told the newspaper the price hikes were because of poor grape harvests in 2010 and 2011. The spokesperson said the wines are best-sellers and shifted more than 5m cases last year.

A Rabobank report in October said demand for wine in the US is growing and helping to balance out long-term oversupply issues.