This Trader Joe's Charles Shaw Wine Is Cloyingly Sweet And Unpleasant

If you've ever wondered why Trader Joe's wine is affectionately referred to as "two-buck chuck," the answer lies in the name of the famous wine family that produces its line of affordable wines. Charles Shaw and his wife were the original producers, and even though they were bought out by the Franzia Wine Company, the name stuck. And Trader Joe's sells Charles Shaw wine for wine lovers on a budget. We ranked all 8 Charles Shaw wines according to overall flavor and how closely each wine resembles classic examples of its type. In last place was the cloyingly sweet White Zinfandel.

A type of rosé that originated in California, White Zinfandel is described as refreshing with a light body, low tannins, low acidity, and a medium-sweet taste with fruity notes of berries, citrus, and melon. Unfortunately, Charles Shaw White Zinfandel exhibited the worst extremes that give White Zinfandel a bad rap. There was absolutely no depth to this White Zinfandel as the candy-sweetness overwhelmed our palate immediately, masking any fruity tasting notes. Plus, because White Zinfandels have very low acidity, there was no tangy element to temper the sweetness. Adding insult to injury, the cloying sweetness of this Charles Shaw White Zinfandel was followed by a harsh, bitter alcoholic finish. While we're glad this wine didn't cost us much, it sure tasted as cheap as its price tag.

Charles Shaw misses the mark on White Zinfandel, but some of our favorite Charles Shaw wines are similarly light-bodied varieties. So, if you're looking for a light, refreshing wine with a balanced sweetness and plenty of fruity, citrus notes, we'd recommend picking up a bottle of Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio. For a light-bodied red, the Merlot was our all-time favorite.

If you're sticking with the White Zinfandel, its overwhelming sweetness is best enjoyed as a dessert wine. You could even pair it with a similarly sweet dessert, preferably a fruit-centric dessert like this strawberry shortcake, to bring out the fruity tasting notes White Zinfandel is supposed to possess. If you must pair it with a savory main course, a good food pairing for White Zinfandel is barbecued meat basted in and smothered with a sweet barbecue sauce. Of course, you can always transform an overly sweet White Zinfandel into a wine cocktail to balance the sweetness and add more depth of flavor. For example, it'd be a good foundation for a summery floral white wine sangria. You could increase the lime juice and swap the lemon-lime soda for plain club soda to offset its sweetness. We'd also recommend adding bitters and club soda to this White Zinfandel for a cheap and easy take on the classic Aperol spritz.