Food of the Eighties, Bartles & James Wine Coolers
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Actually all wine coolers - but the B & J ones had the biggest advertising campaigns. Extra-popular with college girls, of whom I was one at the time, these were a six-pack, v. bad cheap white wine evidently mixed with Koolaid and a splash of hairspray. Terrible, terrible taste, but oh how we loved them!
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User Stories and Comments

The following are comments left about Bartles & James Wine Coolers from site visitors such as yourself. They are not spell checked or reviewed for accuracy.

sheryl - July 31, 2007 - Report this comment
I was 13 when I first drank Bartles & James Wine Coolers. I had about 10 glasses full that night in 1984 when I met a guy named Paul. It is now 23 years later and tonight we celebrated our 19th Wedding Anniversary!
Greg - August 16, 2007 - Report this comment
Oh man, I remember these. Not very strong, and they had the weirdest, chemical/fruit flavor -- tropical punch I recall was very strange tasting. BUT we drank plenty of them back in the day!
Des - January 12, 2008 - Report this comment
They had cool commercials.
Blubbs - February 05, 2008 - Report this comment
I was too young at the time to have tried them, but I loved the comercials with the two old dudes. "Thanks for your support!!"
littlecupcake - February 29, 2008 - Report this comment
i was 15 when i first had my first b&j.it made me feel free,older and awesome!i had the greatest summer of my life and i wouldnt change that for the world.
Courtney - March 27, 2008 - Report this comment
B&J was my first drink of alcohol ever, oh the memories.
Angie - April 25, 2008 - Report this comment
The Fuzzy Navel ones were the best!!!
PK - May 08, 2008 - Report this comment
Actually, it's spelled Bartles & Jaymes.
Wendy - June 26, 2008 - Report this comment
OMG who didnt love them then and now still...great drinks and wonderful flavors...i dont drink much now but when i do thats what i dreak!!
crazy amy - August 10, 2008 - Report this comment
1st of all thank you,PK,for the spelling lesson as i so miss being in school-NOT-and just a question for sheryl-did you get pregnant that night of 10 glasses af b&j? i see you were very young when you married(and i thought id never have a use for math in real life).JUST KIDDING_ I LOVE YOU GUYS-even though i dont know you.my worst hangover was the night i drank b&j with hot twinkies(microwaved)i couldnt drink them after that.good luck and many more happy years sheryl and pk keep up the grammar-its good for your kids.
fruitypebbles - October 14, 2008 - Report this comment
Oh God! I was a little kid when these were around, so obvs I didn't drink them, but my Dad did! Somehow he got a cardboard cutout of the two guys, from some display at the store. He kept it out on the porch of our house and everytime you'd walk past them, if he saw you from inside the house, he'd say "thank you for your support!"
Woody - December 04, 2008 - Report this comment
Did they actually ever have wine in them? Why call them wine coolers...??? The new ones are malt like Mikes and Ice. Am i tripping??? I mean the ones from the early 80's.
Sharon - January 16, 2009 - Report this comment
I remember tasting a Strawberry one when I was pretty young. My uncle's girlfriend at that time let me and my sister taste (a few times) - they must have been insane!
Chris - October 31, 2009 - Report this comment
When they first came out they did indeed have real wine in them. There was only one flavor...white wine, and they were terrific. Later, most likely to cut costs, they stopped using wine and became a flavored malt beverage. Lots of different flavors at this point, but none as good as when the original was made with wine. Legally, they had to drop the word wine from their label at this point (probably late 80s, early 90s) and they became just a 'cooler.' I think there is only one cooler made with actual wine still on the market, but the name escapes me.
elizabeth - November 11, 2009 - Report this comment
if you remember the name of the one that still has wine in it I sure would like to know. when I was introduced to B & J I was given a six pack of the flavor called blush wine coolers loved them and cannot find them anyone have any ideas where to get some. thank you.
The Roz - November 12, 2009 - Report this comment
I used to get these for my girlfriend, Denise. She'd joke and say, do you want a "BJ," too! Calvin Coolers were also a popular choice. Ahhh, the good ol days of summer and the Jersey Shore. Oh yeah, they had funny comercials, as well. Those two old guys from New England sitting on the porch. You guys should check out the Dutchmill Donut site. Some funny stuff there!
80sBoy - March 20, 2010 - Report this comment
California Cooler was first on the market with great beach party commercials. The taste was citrusy and tart. The only cooler I ever liked. Oh and Bartles and Jaymes came next and dominated with the kind of commercial muscle that Ernest and Julio Gallo could provide. The message "And thank you for your support" coming from 2 country bumpkins was a wink and nod to yuppie culture.
Trish - May 04, 2010 - Report this comment
I see Bartles and Jaymes in my local supermarket but I haven't had one in years. I remember a friend of mine and I setting out to try and get drunk on these things. Both of us went through about three six-packs apiece and didn't even catch a buzz.
tammyshark - May 18, 2010 - Report this comment
LOVED THE BLUSH B AND J COOLERS!! i have written the company numerous times about reintroducing these...they quit making them in 1992 or so. i have tried to make my own with sprite and blush wine, but its not the same! i miss those!!!!
Melinda - February 01, 2011 - Report this comment
Can u still buy them today and where can I get some
Sharonmolly - February 02, 2011 - Report this comment
I remember them coming in a 4 pack. When I was a teenager in the 80's they had real wine in them, unlike the malt of today. Several flavors- peach, berry, tropical. I'd split a 4 pack with a boy and we would go to 2nd base! Oh, how I wish I could get those innocent times back. Just like I wish they still sold real wine coolers. A fairly good substitute is Boones Farm or Arbor Mist flavored wines. I also vaguely remember Calvin Coolers but they were not easy to find in the Northeast. What I do remember is something called California Coolers, which was a standard wine cooler but it came in a 2 liter plastic bottle, like soda. Anyone else remember this?
Jan Griffiths - December 30, 2011 - Report this comment
I don't know how many times I really got drunk on these things. I remember at the end of the commercial the guys said "Thanks for your support". I really miss these.
carol - August 28, 2012 - Report this comment
I have a great Calvin Cooler bar mirror. However, I can't seem to find anything on the internet about them...I would like to price my mirror and sell it. Anybody????
Calvin Rone - November 15, 2012 - Report this comment
I would be interested in the Calvin Coolers mirror. Do you still want to sell it. Email me. Zoinks30@aol.com
david mogen - December 07, 2012 - Report this comment
interested in the calvin cooler mirror from carol. my email: nx_tx [at] yahoo [dot] com
Tomcat - March 24, 2013 - Report this comment
I just posted about California Cooler and now Bartles & James wine coolers. Great posting, crazy amy from August 10, 2008. So many cool people talk about wine coolers. Glad you cool cats like and catetts like, carol are talking about Calvin Coolers. Wine coolers were so big in the '80s. And hey, Sharonmolly, go to the special page for California Coolers on www.inthe80s.com They have their own page! And I, too, miss the two old gentelman saying: "Thanks for your support." I really miss these. Can we get a picture of those guys? You are all so awesom. That's funny what The Roz said from November 12, 2009. Hey The Roz, bet those B&Js helped you get B&Js Ha ha ha. I was there, too. And sheryl from July 31, 2007. That is a so very cool story. t
mark - August 14, 2013 - Report this comment
These guys started the whole wine cooler craze of the 80's. It was good stuff. A good way to start drinking when I was 17. Kind of ease into alcoholism.
John Moore - January 29, 2015 - Report this comment
I Have a One Of a Kind Bartles & Jaymes BUCKWHEAT & ALAFALA`S WINE COOLER POSTER king world production 1987

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