As I have reported, I have been clearing out the wine cellar and hopefully finding some gems that survived the fifteen-day lockdown that has morphed into a year and counting.  As I have been reporting, we have found and enjoyed some wines that have even surprised us and some of the friends that I have discussed it with, that anticipated the worse.  I found two bottles that were taking up space and valuable dust, but just in case they were actually put in the garage refrigerator to chill, just for science. Now, I know that neither my Bride or I have purchased these two bottles of wine, I think they were brought as gifts to the house during occasions that we have posted parties, and hopefully, everyone’s memory is strong enough to remember having and hosting parties at a house or elsewhere.

Charles Shaw International Chardonnay Australia NV was introduced in 2009.  Charles Shaw wines were introduced at Trader Joe’s grocery stores originally in California selling for the premium price of $1.99 and that is how it acquired the name of “Two Buck Chuck” and eventually as it was sold at stores East of the Rockies it became “Three Buck Chuck.”  Of course, the price eventually crept up, but the name is remembered.  The wine is part of the Bronco Wine Company, started by Fred Franzia, formerly of Franzia Brothers in California.  This particular bottle has ninety-four percent Australian Chardonnay and six percent California Chardonnay. I am sure that the wine is “aged” in Stainless Steel containers, perhaps on the trip from Australia to California.  The color showed oxidation as it was amber, and looked more like a lager beer and the nose told me, that I shouldn’t even try a taste.  I am sure that perhaps, chilled, a fresh bottle could conceivably offer a taste of an unoaked Chardonnay, perhaps one day, I may opine on a glass. 

Yellow Tail Chardonnay Australia 2008 from Casella Wines was another wine that I refrigerated with the concept that I might have a good report. Yellow Tail is a major single-variety wines, as well as sparkling and rosé wines with value pricing. It is now one of the largest selling wines by volume in the world. The Casella family began history in wines back in Italy in the 1820’s.  They moved to Australia in 1957 and began making wines in the 1960’s. The Yellow Tail brand, which depicts a wallaby was formed in 2000, from the juice that they used to produce and sell to other wineries and the bulk of the wines carry the appellation of South Eastern Australia, but the winery and facilities are located in Yenda, New South Wales. By 2003, Yellow Tail was the number one imported wine to the United States of America. As you can see from the photo, the wine had truly aged and was getting a caramel color and that was its total redeeming quality.  Now in the past, we have had this wine, as it was the Chardonnay wine offered at some restaurants.  It is a bulk wine that is better than having pop with dinner, and to be quite candid, it is what a lot of people equate as a Chardonnay wine, so they have their converts and faithful.