Hi Thomas,
Wow, you are generally pretty polite so I was kind of surprised that you called my response "elitist snobbery." That is really harsh and somewhat ad hominum especially since I never made any comment or suggestion that price had anything to do with quality. I stand by my opinion that Two Buck Chuck is mediocre: the fact that it is cheap is no consolation. It has become a marketing phenomenon, the result of Trader Joe's and the press. There are lots of excellent inexpensive wines, although not as "chic" or popular with the general press. For the price of Charles Shaw, I think the jug wine by Gallo "Hearty Burgundy" is better. But for a few dollars more, the Chilean wines such as the Montes suggested below, or Bonny Doon "Big House Red" are so much better. Just one man's opinion but hardly elitist or snobbery.
Now I'm off to Chigaco to have a steak with with my good friend, Morton (who happens to love two buck chuck)
Regards,
Daniel Kremens