Snuggling close to selling half a billion bottles of Charles Shaw, 66 year old Fred Franzia has got his right foot on the gas and isn’t braking for anything.  He’s a determined man with a simple yet unpopular approach to the wine business: sell an ocean of wine at a price people laugh at.

Guess what? It’s working.

Snobs can come up with a gazillion reason’s for you to avoid Franzia’s wine’s, but, much like there assertion of his quality, they just aren’t that good. There is nothing wrong with opening a bottle of wine that costs less per gallon than most people pay for bottled water, and sipping it to contentment. A few extra digits in the online statement is a welcome site for most wine lovers today.

Which brings me to the article that prompted this post, found here [abc.com], and the review I’ve been meaning to post on a wine from Australia under the Crane Lake label of Bronco Wines, Franzia’s Company. This wine was sent to me as a press sample, and after tasting it, I picked up a case at my local Trader Joe’s. (I took a picture of the display in the store, but I got scolded by internal watch, so I won’t post that for fear of legal ramifications.) Note that in no way do I benefit from sales of this wine, just a recommendation for people that would like a nice summer wine, which, brings me to a little change in my standard review language. Below are two styles of reviews, one, the normal format found here at Winexpression, and two, the seemingly more fitting review style I envision Fred using when he tells people about his wines.

1.

Wine: 2008 Down Under by Crane Lake South Eastern Australia Chardonnay
Price: $2.99 Suggested Retail
Alcohol: 12.5 % ABV
Notes: Light straw in color, stone fruit, mineral, apple on the nose with a crisp well balanced palatte and zesty finish.  Lightly buttery and food friendly.
Score: B+ 88 pts

2.

2008 Down Under South Eastern Australia Chardonnay
$3
This great tasting Chardonnay is a nice way to travel to Australia without flying, boating, or swimming, and an excellent way to cool off on a toasty summer afternoon.

Update: The makers of Australia’s most identifiable bottle of wine, Yellow Tail, are suing over the Down Under label. Dr.Vino has the skinny.