Áine Cain / Business Insider
Overall, though, we preferred Shaw's white wines.
- Trader Joe's Shaw wines provide the grocery chain's base of wine lovers with an organic option.
- Business Insider's
retail desk recently tasted five Shaw wines. - We through that the "Two-Buck Chuck" reds were stronger for the most part, but we still had good things to say about the Shaw pinot noir.
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- And to hear the full story behind Trader Joe's more well-knownTwo-Buck Chuck wines, subscribe to Business Insider's podcast, "Household Name."
How do Trader Joe's "Two-Buck Chuck" wines stack up against their organic Shaw counterparts?
Well, broadly speaking, Shaw boasts considerably fresher white wines, while its predecessor offers an assortment of tastier reds. When Business Insider's retail section tasted Shaw's line of five wines, reactions were muted on its red selections, which was surprising given how much we enjoyed the Charles Shaw line of red wines.
That being said, reviews were mixed to positive on the organic pinot noir. All tasters agreed that this bottle was worth the low price of $3.99, although one person speculated they could "get a better cheap red."
Read more: We taste-tested 8 of Trader Joe's 'Two-Buck Chuck' wines. Here's how they ranked from worst to best.
One reviewer concluded that this drink was "definitely a pinot noir, but there's not much else to be said about it." Describing the wine as "okay," another taster wrote that the wine was "nice and fruity" off the bat, but added that it "really dries up your mouth."
Another colleague added a few descriptors to their review, saying that the pinot noir featured a "savory first note," a "bitter, dry mid-note that tapers into a buttery aftertaste," as well as "grapey," "cheesy," and "bready" undertones.
Altogether, this wine wasn't particularly mind-blowing. It didn't wow us, but it also didn't disappoint us. The pinot noir had enough interesting elements to it to render it a respectable option for a casual dinner at home.
Are you a Trader Joe's employee with a story to share? Email acain@businessinsider.com.