13 things you probably didn't know about 'two-buck Chuck,' Trader Joe's notoriously cheap wine

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13 things you probably didn't know about 'two-buck Chuck,' Trader Joe's notoriously cheap wine

Target Wine Trader Joe's Wine 7

Hollis Johnson

There is no longer a connection between Charles Shaw, the man, and Charles Shaw, the wine sold at Trader Joe's.

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  • Trader Joe's "two-buck Chuck," its famously cheap private-label wine, has a complicated backstory.
  • There is a real Charles Shaw, and he once sold wine at Trader Joe's, but he is not currently associated with the Charles Shaw brand wine sold at the retailer today.
  • A businessman named Fred Franzia is behind two-buck Chuck, which sells for $2.99 at most Trader Joe's stores today.
  • To hear the full story and an interview with the real Charles Shaw, subscribe for free to Business Insider's new podcast, "Household Name."

Trader Joe's "two-buck Chuck" is much more than a cheap bottle of wine.

The Charles Shaw label, which sells cabernet, pinot grigio, and a variety of other wines, sells for $2.99 at most Trader Joe's locations.

But the famously inexpensive brand wasn't always so cheap and readily available. The original Charles Shaw label produced prestigious, award-winning wines at Charles Shaw's winery in Napa Valley.

That is quite unlike Trader Joe's current Charles Shaw wine, which is mass-produced by Bronco Wine Company and is entirely unrelated to the real Charles Shaw, who currently resides in Chicago and has nothing to do with the wine or business.

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The name and label were acquired for the Bronco Wine Company by a savvy businessman named Fred Franzia, who made his fortune buying names and labels from bankrupt wineries.

Find out more about the famous two-buck Chuck wine, which is profiled in this week's episode of Business Insider's podcast "Household Name":

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Trader Joe's has sold nearly one billion bottles of two-buck Chuck since 2002.

Trader Joe's has sold nearly one billion bottles of two-buck Chuck since 2002.

There is a real Charles Shaw, and he once owned a winery, but two-buck Chuck is not his wine.

There is a real Charles Shaw, and he once owned a winery, but two-buck Chuck is not his wine.
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Before getting into the wine business, the Charles Shaw whose name is on the bottle was in the Air Force and worked for a bank in Paris. It wasn't until later in life that he started making wine.

Before getting into the wine business, the Charles Shaw whose name is on the bottle was in the Air Force and worked for a bank in Paris. It wasn't until later in life that he started making wine.

The original Charles Shaw wine label was founded by Shaw and his wife, Lucy, in Napa Valley in the 1970s.

The original Charles Shaw wine label was founded by Shaw and his wife, Lucy, in Napa Valley in the 1970s.
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The MGM Studios film "Yes, Giorgio" was filmed at Shaw's vineyard.

The MGM Studios film "Yes, Giorgio" was filmed at Shaw's vineyard.

The gazebo on the current label of two-buck Chuck comes from the filming of that movie.

The gazebo on the current label of two-buck Chuck comes from the filming of that movie.
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Shaw briefly sold one of his earliest wines — a gold-medal winning Gamay — for $2 a bottle at Trader Joe's. But there is no relation between that wine and today's two-buck Chuck.

Shaw briefly sold one of his earliest wines — a gold-medal winning Gamay — for $2 a bottle at Trader Joe's. But there is no relation between that wine and today's two-buck Chuck.

Charles Shaw actually had a very successful wine business, selling on American Airlines and traveling the world with his wine. Then, he lost almost everything.

Charles Shaw actually had a very successful wine business, selling on American Airlines and traveling the world with his wine. Then, he lost almost everything.
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The original Charles Shaw wines were contaminated with a petroleum flavor after a packaging error, and he lost 10,000 cases. Then a bug called root louse destroyed his main vineyard. And his wife — who funded a majority of the business — filed for divorce and removed Shaw from the business.

The original Charles Shaw wines were contaminated with a petroleum flavor after a packaging error, and he lost 10,000 cases. Then a bug called root louse destroyed his main vineyard. And his wife — who funded a majority of the business — filed for divorce and removed Shaw from the business.

After losing his business, a trustee for the Charles Shaw winery became the owner of the Charles Shaw brand and label design — including the name Charles Shaw.

After losing his business, a trustee for the Charles Shaw winery became the owner of the Charles Shaw brand and label design — including the name Charles Shaw.
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A businessman named Fred Franzia, who produces wine for Bronco Wine Company, acquired the Charles Shaw brand, label, and name for $27,000 and held onto it for years.

A businessman named Fred Franzia, who produces wine for Bronco Wine Company, acquired the Charles Shaw brand, label, and name for $27,000 and held onto it for years.

In 2002, Franzia brought the Charles Shaw wine he now owned to Trader Joe's, where it's sold for $2 a bottle. The real Charles Shaw had nothing to do with this deal with Trader Joe's, and he didn't find out it about it until after the fact.

In 2002, Franzia brought the Charles Shaw wine he now owned to Trader Joe's, where it's sold for $2 a bottle. The real Charles Shaw had nothing to do with this deal with Trader Joe's, and he didn't find out it about it until after the fact.
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Charles Shaw hasn't seen a penny of the profit from the billions of bottles of two-buck Chuck wine sold with his name on it.

Charles Shaw hasn't seen a penny of the profit from the billions of bottles of two-buck Chuck wine sold with his name on it.
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