High Levels Of Arsenic Found In Two-Buck Chuck And Other Popular California Wines, Lawsuit Claims

A lawsuit has claimed that more than 20 California-made wines contain dangerously-high levels of arsenic, CBS reports. The levels reached up to four and five times the maximum amount allowed for drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Kevin Hicks, founder of BeverageGrades, tested more than 1,300 bottles of wine and was shocked to discover that some had very high levels of arsenic. Arsenic, an element with a very high level of toxicity, can be incredibly harmful to humans if the amount is concentrated enough.

Among the wines discovered to contain the arsenic were brands like Two-Buck Chuck, Ménage à Trois Moscato and Franzia White Grenache.

Hicks discovered a recurring pattern that showed the cheaper the wine, the higher the arsenic amount. He told CBS that he contacted the wine companies, but didn’t get much of a response or acknowledgment about his discovery.

Collecting his data, Hick took his findings to a law firm. He has begun filing a lawsuit towards 24 California winemakers and sellers claiming that they’re misrepresenting their wine as safe to consume.