Episode 143: Are Bread & Butter Wines Good?

Show Notes

Episode 143: Are Bread & Butter Wines Good?  00:00

Hello! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair! 

If you are new to our podcast, here is a quick orientation! Each week, we explore a different wine varietal or blend or brand — like Pinot Noir or Bordeaux or Bread & Butter Wines — and dive into what makes it unique, special, and worth learning about - or if you should bother to buy them at all in this case. Our goal is to help you expand your wine knowledge in a fun way that normal people can understand. We also taste and review 2-3 wines under $20 each, and share our scores and recommendations to help you find great wines without breaking the bank. So, thank you so much for joining us! And, we are proud to say that Decanter Magazine calls us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining.

It’s been a while, Carmela, but I thought we would bring back a concept that I think will resonate with our listeners, and wine drinkers in general, and that is taking a look at common wines that you find in stores and see if we think they are any good. We did this in a previous episode with Josh wines, which we thought were not very good, we said they were meh, and in this episode, we are going to focus on Bread & Butter wines, which are easy to find and fall into what we would call an affordable price range, although the industry says they are in the Premium wine category. So, first, let us know if you like these episodes so we can determine if we should do more of them or not.

Ok,  when we say we are going to determine if Bread & Butter Wines are any good, we mean from our perspective. And, hopefully listeners of our podcast understand what our tastes are like and the kinds of wines we generally rate highly or or lowly, and then are able to determine, based on what you like, if you agree with us. We have said this a million times, but if you find that your taste in wine is different from ours, that is of course totally fine. What we hope is that you can gauge whether or not you like a wine based on our review and decide for yourself. 

And that might mean that you disagree with us regularly, and so wines we don’t like you know you will like, and vice versa. And we love that!

We generally stay away from mass produced grocery store wines in our podcast because what we really want to do is learn, and help you learn, about new wines and wine regions that expand your wine horizons. Like, if you listen to us often, you know that we are just not big fans of wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or oaky Chardonnays because we feel like those are common and often not very good, and there are so many different types and styles of wines out there that it is a shame to not try something different that you may find you really love. And those are generally the varietals that these big wine brands focus on. 

So, we are very cognizant of the fact that the reason Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are so ubiquitous is not because they are the best wines, but because they are what the big wine industry has sort of pushed on the American wine drinker because they are easy to grow and produce in the state the makes the most wine - which is California. So, we often argue that the wine industry has strongly influenced what American wine drinkers drink, and rather than catering wine to what people’s preferences actually are, they are rather training people to think these are the wines that they want. We would argue their goal is to keep you ignorant, because it is better for them. Until they decided there is some new wine to push on us, like we have seen in the Prosecco craze. 

And we are not the only ones who think that. We have some articles in our show notes that go into depth on the subject if you want to see what others say, too, but it often comes down to economics. It is very valuable and economical for big wine to produce generic wines that are over-ripe, jammy, high in alcohol and tannins, and over-extracted. We often call them punch-you-in-the-face wines, and others call them cocktail wines, because they are not subtle or subdued or wines to be contemplated, but rather are wines that you don’t have to think too hard about. And, you will see, that is EXACTLY the point-of-view Bread & Butter markets on

I feel the same way about Starbucks, which I think makes shitty coffee, and McDonald’s, which makes crappy food, but have become sort of the standard. Go to a local burger joint or local coffee shop to really find out what good food is, and we feel the same way about wine. Or even better, get a cappuccino in Italy to really see what coffee is supposed to taste like. And same with wine!

We also know that a lot of people drink wines like Bread & Butter, and drink a lot of Cabernet and Chardonnay, and so we also think we can’t avoid it, but rather we should take it head on and share our thoughts and feelings about it so you can decide what you think. Maybe you think we are full of crap, and that is ok. We also think that more and more people are starting to realize that there is more out there than these mass-produced wines, but don’t know where to turn, and that is why we started this podcast, and you can peruse our 140+ episodes to find lots of great gems to discover.

So, today, we are going to taste three different Bread & Butter wines and let you know what we think. These are all wines that are under our $20 price cap, and are super easy to find, and we have a good cross section of varietals - we have a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and a Sauvignon Blanc - and we promise we will give Bread & Butter a fair shot . . . 

But first . . . we have to do our shameless plug.

Thank you for listening to us and for supporting our show, and if you haven’t  had the chance to do so yet, now would be the perfect time to follow or subscribe to our podcast  - it is a free way to support us, and then you never have to miss a show!  - and a huge thank you to all of you who have subscribed already! 

And, another great way to support is to leave a nice rating and review on our website or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or other podcast app so we can continue to grow our listeners.

You can also follow us and see pictures of the wines we are tasting and trying today and weird AI pictures I like to make on Instagram at thewinepairpodcast, and you can contact us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com, and you can sign up for our email newsletter there and get news and food and wine pairing ideas and more! Our latest newsletter just came out, so if you missed it, don’t worry, you can email me at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com and I will send it to you myself!

And we want to make content you care about and you like, so send us a note and tell us what you like and don’t like, if there are wines you want us to try or wine making areas of the world you are curious about - and we’ll take care of it!

And, as we do every week, we’ll tell you someone we think you should recommend The Wine Pair Podcast to - because the best way for us to grow listeners is when you tell your family and friends about us - your endorsement by word of mouth is just so valuable. This week, we want you to recommend us to anyone who thinks that wines like Bread & Butter are the bees knees, and you want to help them maybe think differently about it, or, maybe not if we find we like the wines!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://blindtaste.com/2009/05/21/why-inexpensive-american-wine-is-so-bad/
• https://www.quora.com/Why-do-USA-wines-give-headaches-and-not-taste-as-good-as-the-wines-drank-in-travels-outside-of-the-states 
• https://winecurmudgeon.com/is-us-wine-too-bland/ 

Topic: What are Premium Wines Like Bread & Butter All About? 11:47

As we mentioned, Bread & Butter Wines are in what the industry calls the Premium category, although in some places I have seen them placed in the Super Premium category or the Popular Premium, which I find very confusing, because hearing that term - well what would you think Premium or Super Premium means?

Premium is really about a pricing tier rather than a quality tier. We do often equate cost with quality, and that is probably more true than it is not, but again, part of what we want to do in our podcast is to help you find high quality wines at reasonable prices. But, anyway . . . 

So you have it, and you can grab it from our show notes, the wine industry generally categorizes their wines as follows, although it can vary depending on the source and the year they created their list:

• value wine ($4–$12) 
• popular ($13–$16) 
• premium ($17–$22) 
• super premium ($23–$30) 
• ultra-premium ($30–$50)
• luxury ($50–$100)
• super luxury ($100–$200)
• icon ($200 or more)

The assumption again  is that, as you go higher up the tiers, you are getting better quality grapes, even grapes selected from very specific vineyards, more carefully and handcrafted wines, better winemakers, and some scarcity as well. 

So, what can you expect from the tranche of wine that Bread & Butter falls into? We should expect wines that are consistent and reliable - you know what you are getting - produced by reputable wine brands and I would say winemakers that have good skills but are focused on consistency over anything else. So, they are going to find grapes that fit the flavor profile they are looking for at a price that works for them, and they are going to build the wines in a very scientific and controlled way. I expect a lot of intervention with these wines, in other words, lots of testing and lots of manipulation of the wine throughout the process. So, again, I would argue you are looking for consistency vs. quality per se when you select these wines, again, like McDonald’s and Starbucks

And that is my problem with them. There is nothing special about them, nothing unique or artisan about them. When we do interviews with winemakers, I like to ask if they lean more towards the art or the science of wine, and most say it is a mix. For winemakers making these wines, their focus is going to be on the science over the art everyday.

So, let’s dig into Bread & Butter Wines for just a moment. On their website, they say the following, which I think tells us a lot

• At Bread & Butter, we believe good things in life shouldn’t be complicated.
• Good things should just be, well, good. Good, honest, and delicious. And uncomplicated.
• Because when we second-guess, overthink, and decide that every little thing is so important…We’re ignoring what really matters. The good. The honest. The delicious. And the uncomplicated.
• So, right from the get-go, they are focusing on uncomplicated. What does that mean to you if you are thinking about a wine?

I even saw them mention in places in their marketing the phrase “don’t overthink things” which I mentioned earlier. And I really kind of took umbrage to that phrase. To me, that is insulting and uninteresting, but I get that I am not the target audience. 

Bread & Butter is owned by a larger wine brand called WX Brands, and was started in 2013 in Napa Valley by winemaker Linda Trotta. WX Brands purchased them in 2017. They focus on common varietals like Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, and they even have a Prosecco. They also create wine in box form, if you are into that. 

They have been among the fastest growing brands in the US for several years, and in 2023 they produced over 1.5 million cases of wine and are said to be heading to about 2 million cases. I could not find clear information on where they rank in terms of sales, but from what I can tell they are not yet in the top 30 of wines in the US but are approaching it. And, considering how easy they are to find, they are pretty popular. 

They make their wines from California grapes, and generally source them from all over California, with the exception of the Prosecco which does, of course, come from Italy. So, again, that means that they are focusing on both consistency and cost - it is cheaper to purchase grapes in bulk from many different producers than to focus on one or a few wineries.

We have some information on them in our show notes, but the wine is mass produced, and is not organic, sustainable, or vegan. Some people care about it, and some people don’t, but just know again that this is a wine that is going to have a lot of intervention, filtering and fining, and manipulation. If you are looking for natural wines, you will have to look elsewhere. 

Some of their wines have received good ratings and accolades. For instance, the 2020 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon got a 91 rating from Wine Enthusiast, and Decanter gave their 2021 California Chardonnay 90 points. But, in general, you are not going to find a ton of professional reviews for the wine, which to me means not that they are not being reviewed, but that most major reviewers just do not publish wine reviews for wines that receive less than 80 to 85 points. 

So, on that note, I think it’s time to learn a little more about the specific wines we are drinking today. Whaddya say?

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2018/07/05/placing-wines-category-price/ 
• https://bottlebarn.com/blogs/news/fine-premium-and-luxury-the-categories-of-wine?srsltid=AfmBOoqCMhEYjyjmHo-n-pZyvRbX_SUd6gJo1DSyba9aQIxvqCBgD_QZ 
• https://winefolly.com/lifestyle/reality-of-wine-prices-what-you-get-for-what-you-spend/ 
• https://www.grandonelounge.com/blog/bread-amp-butter-cabernet-sauvignon-2021-wine-review 
• https://breadandbutterwines.com/about-us/ 
• https://www.napawineproject.com/bread-butter-wines/ 
• https://www.viinitie.fi/en/collections/bread-butter 
• https://trade.wxbrands.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2023/04/BreadandButter_PortfolioBook.pdf 

Bread & Butter Wines We Chose for This Episode 21:18

As usual, all of the wines we have chosen for this episode are under $20, and all of them should be very easy to find. I bought all of the wines today at wine.com, but you should be able to find these wines at any big wine store or any grocery store. I would be shocked if you could not find them at a wine shop like BevMo or Total Wine or at any major grocery store. And the varietals we chose are also very common. 

The first wine we are going to drink is the 2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay, and so we are just going to get it out of the way from the get-go. I am trying not to pre-judge, but I can just tell this is going to be one of those overly oaked Chardonnays that drive me crazy. But I will hold off on judging until we taste it.

I have a generic tech sheet for their wines, and for this wine, they say that the grapes come from California, and they call out the North Coast, Central Coast and select interior sites, which just feels like a hodge-podge. They also say that they age the wines for 8 months in the tank with American and French Oak integration - I have no idea what integration means - before final blending and bottling. If anyone out there has a clear definition for us, please let us know and we will share it out. And, at 13.5% alcohol, it is decently high in alcohol for a white wine, but this is not atypical for an oaky California Chardonnay. 

They also say they use malolactic fermentation, which is a process where malic acid, which is tart, converts to lactic acid, which is softer and creamier. So, this will not be a crisp, lively wine, but a rounder, creamier wine, and can create some of the butteriness that oaky Chardonnays are described as having.  

The one thing I will say about buying these wines on wine.com is that, first, they were all $13.99, so there’s that, but, I had to buy two of the Chardonnays. I have never seen that before, but it would not let me buy just one. Which kind of sucked. 

The next wine we are going to drink is the 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc, and this one is a screw cap, so they get extra points for that! On their broader fact sheet, they describe this wine as refreshing, zesty, and lively, and it looks like they mostly get their grapes from just the North Coast region of California. This wine is also 13% alcohol, which is relatively high for a Sauv Blanc. Not unheard of by any means, but usually warmer climate wines have higher alcohol because the fruit ripens more by harvest. 

Beyond that, I could find very little about how the wine is made. I am not expecting it to be oaked in any way, but I don’t want to make any assumptions about this wine without having some information. One website said that the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks, but I only found that in one place, and there was no corroborating evidence. 

Even the tech sheets I found felt more like marketing-speak than anything really revealing about the wine, which kind of shows the kind of audience they are going after. They are not targeting people like us, they wine snobs who think they know everything, instead they are targeting people who really don’t care all that much about how wines are made or produced. 

The last wine we are going to drink is the 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon. Again, this is a wine where they source their grapes from California, mentioning the North Coast, Central Coast, and select interior sites, which basically means from everywhere and nowhere, and they also say on the tech sheet this same confusing statement that wines are aged 10 months in tank with American and French oak integration. Again, I am not sure what that means, but my suspicion is that they are adding oak chips or planks to the juice during the aging process because they are not calling out barrels, which I would expect a winemaker to make clear.

So, if they are going down this path, it is for a couple of reasons. First, it is cheaper to do this approach with adding oak chips or planks than it is to purchase and use wine barrels. Second, it probably allows them to control the amount of oak taste on the wine in a more consistent way. It is, in my opinion, a pretty crappy way of making wine and adding oak flavors, but this is what you get when you buy mass produced wines. If I am wrong, please let me know!

They describe this wine as ripe, luscious, and bold, which I am just prepared to mean it is a wine I am going to hate. Those descriptors are kind of the opposite of what I like in a wine. But, that’s just me, and we need to keep an open mind. Maybe we’ll love it!

I will admit I have low expectations for these wines. They all look to be big, mass produced flavor-bombs, custom built for the American palate that they have been trying to train for many years. Look, I know that sounds rude, but it is just facts. 

But, I think that is enough information - let’s get to drinking! And, if you have any of these wines on hand, drink along with us, and tell us if you think we are on the mark, or if you disagree with our tasting. We really do want to know!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/what-is-malolactic-fermentation-the-buttery-taste-in-wine/
• https://breadandbutterwines.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BreadButter_FactSheet_Chardonnay_2021.pdf
• https://app.bottlebooks.me/pdf/rp/65d5c499fbb4ed10f4fbb929/5c1d01eed79602757bc45d6e/66322ab2a52b6217723646aa/t/Bottlebooks%252FInfoSheetWithQRCodes/f/Bread_%2526_Butter_Sauvignon_Blanc-2023?lang=en&inline=1 
• https://breadandbutterwines.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BreadButter_FactSheet_CabernetSauvignon_2021.pdf 

2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay, 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Tasting, Pairing, and Review 27:25

Wine: Bread & Butter California Chardonnay (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: California
Year: 2022
Price: $13.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Chardonnay
Professional Rating: 

What we tasted and smelled in this 2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay,:

• Color: Dark like someone who did not drink enough water, lemonade color
• On the nose: Creamy, vanilla, caramel, apple, rich, butter, kettle corn, saline, a bit of pineapple, a little tropical
• In the mouth: Butter, lemony, tart, caramel, creamy, creme caramel, a little chemical taste to it, vanilla, buttered popcorn, tastes cheap, aftertaste is stale
• You can get way better $14 Chardonnays

Food to pair with this 2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay: Want to hide it, greasy grilled cheese sandwich, quesadilla, white pizza, mac and cheese
 
As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, with no half points, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and a 5 or 6 means we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it. 

2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 2/10
• Carmela: 4/10

Wine: Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc  (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: California North Coast
Year: 2023
Price: $13.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Professional Rating: 

What we tasted and smelled in this 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc:

• Color: Light, clear, lemon water
• On the nose: Pineapple syrup from canned fruit, peach, cat pee, apple, orchard fruit, perfumy, soapy
• In the mouth: Cat pee, lemony, artificial tasting especially at the end, lingers and not clean, bitter at the end, lemon from the lemon squeeze bottles, zesty, zippy, a summer sipper, chemically, a bit stale tasting like its been opened too long

Food to pair with this 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc: fish, charcuterie, fried foods, spicy foods, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables

2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 5/10
• Carmela: 5/10

Wine: Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon  (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: California
Year: 2022
Price: $13.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Rating: 

What we tasted and smelled in this 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon:

• Color: Pretty, not as dark as expected, translucent, ruby
• On the nose: Smoky, oak, cedar, a little like church wine, sweet, house wine, basic, plum, currant, cherry, salty black licorice
• In the mouth: Perfumy, potpourri sachet, grandma’s rose perfume, thin, not very juicy, tart cherry, not a great aftertaste, not much tannin, not complex, at the end it’s like campfire smoke got in your mouth, tastes like a wine left out too long, not a lot of body, grape jelly

Food to pair with this 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon: Cheeseburger, pizza, something that is going to mask it, not a juicy steak wine


2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 5/10
• Carmela: 3/10

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc
• Joe: Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc

What do you think about Bread & Butter Wines? You can do WAY better for the price point. Overall, the wines came across as tasting stale and artificial. There are wines in the same price range that are much better. Meh at best.

Taste profiles expected 2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay, 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon 47:19

• 2022 Bread & Butter California Chardonnay
  • Winery: A rich and memorable Chardonnay with creamy notes of vanilla bean, almond and a touch of tropical fruit. Balanced acidity and savory oak lead to a long, smooth finish.
  • Buy Wines Online: This wine opens with a delicate aroma of vanilla bean and almond husk, reminiscent of a decadent creme brulee. The balanced and soft minerality, along with a hint of tropical fruit, complements the creamy notes perfectly. On the palate, the creamy notes continue to unfold, accompanied by bright acidity and well-integrated oak. The result is a long, creamy finish that will leave you wanting more.
• 2023 Bread & Butter Sauvignon Blanc
  • Winery: Expressive and shining with aromas of lemon zest and a hint of tropical fruit. Lively flavors of fresh citrus lead to a rich texture that is completed by enticing minerality and a clean, refreshing finish.
  • LCBO: Fermented in stainless steel tanks this Sauvignon Blanc has maximized aromas of lemon zest, tropical fruit and fresh air-dried linen. Zesty citrus and herbs complement the minerality on the enticing and refreshing palate.
• 2022 Bread & Butter Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Winery: This robust wine charms with layers of mocha, fresh berries, blackcurrant and subtle black pepper, toasted oak and rich vanilla. Round and soft with a hint of spice, soft tannins weave into a smooth and lingering finish of sweet vanilla
  • Tasty Vines: The flavors are basic but smooth and overall well balanced, making this an approachable wine for a wide audience. Overall, this is a punchy Cabernet with notes of heavy black fruits and vanilla. Although this is not a very complex wine, it certainly does its intended job well.
  • Vinatus: This Cabernet Sauvignon is beautifully designed with a palate of ripe blackberry and layers of chocolate covered cherries

Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 50:08

Ok, so, Carmela, it’s time for us to go, but before we do, we want to thank you very much for listening to us - and if you haven’t done so yet, now would be the perfect time to follow or subscribe to our podcast and also a fantastic time to leave us a nice rating and review on our website or Apple podcasts or other podcast app - and it is an awesome and free way to support us and help us grow listeners.

We would also love to hear from you about a wine you would like us to taste and review. You can leave a message for us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com and you can join our email newsletter there - and if you missed our latest newsletter, email me and I will send it to you. You can do that by reaching out at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com. And tell us some things you want to hear us do, or not hear us do!

Alright, with that, we are going to sign off, so thanks again, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.

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