Friday Wine Roundup: Best QPR Wines This Week- May 30, 2008

QPR is a measure of a wines Quality to Price Ratio. It’s a basic question of: how good the wine is for its price? Below are my top picks for this week. Keep in mind, a good wine that is $10 may be an outstanding QPR, while a good wine that is $34, may be poor. The wines listed here are wines that I feel offer you, the consumer, a great wine that is both well priced, and succeeds at providing a great wine experience. Keep an eye out for these good QPR’s next time your out wine shopping.

White Wines
2007 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier - $12: This blend of Chinin Blanc/Viognier comes to us from the west coast of our own USA. Overall it’s a very good wine that I think a lot of people will appreciate for its flavors and texture. Look to pair this with grilled halibut and grilled parsnips this weekend!
Tasting Note: A wine with an outstanding QPR. The Viognier really gives this wine beautiful aromas of grapefruit, hay, and tropical fruits. There is a touch of acidity on the palate, but not overwhelming with very nice texture and a flavorful finish. My rating: 89 pts, OV (outstanding value)

2006 Tohu Sauvignon Blanc - $13: This is a very approachable and friendly bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that can be enjoyed with a variety of cuisine. I’d pair it with a bowl of mussels with a butter/garlic sauce.
Tasting Note: Straightforward, good value wine here. Good aroma’s and flavors of grapefruit, sweet tangerine, apple, and a touch of wet slate. The right amount of acidity with an enjoyable finish. My rating: 87 pts, GV

Rose Wines:
2007 Château de Trinquevedel Tavel Rosé Vignoble Demoulin - $18: This Tavel Rose is just gettintg to the US and, judging by its value, might only be on the shelves for a short while! Don’t miss out on the big summer fruit profile and be sure to have a few bottles around to complement seared tuna on the grill or, on a lazy night, a pizza delivered from your favorite joint.
Tasting Note: This is a rose made from 7 grapes: Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah, Grenache Blanc, Mourvedre and Bourboulenc. The wine is quite nice, with big bright strawberry and cherry, good acidity and a touch of minerality. My rating, 88 pts, GV (good value)

Red Wines:
2006 Panarroz Jumilla Red: You might not make a lot of new friends with this wine, but you sure won’t lose any either! This 2006 Jumilla Red is a good value wine at $8 that could be enjoyed with a variety of cheeses or perhaps some smoked meats.
Tasting note: Simple fruit profile with both red and black fruits emerging at different points. There is a very noticeable smoke/leather aspect to this wine that is interesting with the tingling acidity and medium tannins. Overall quite quaffable, especially for the price. My rating: 85 pts, GV

2006 Domaine Roger Perrin Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Prestige: The Rhone is one of my favorite wine regions in France, if not the world. The wines produced in this Southern region of France are very “terroir” driven- that is to say they generally have very characteristic flavors and tastes (earthiness, minerals, etc) that people often associate with the soil, climate and other regional variables (all together the “terroir”). This outstanding value Cotes-du-Rhone is no different. Look to pair this wine with grilled rabbit, duck, or chicken.
Tasting note: Blackberry, sour cherry, spice notes on the nose. Light to medium body, red and black fruits, earth notes, medium tannins with good acidity - should age well for 2-3 years. Medium finish. Good dinner wine. My rating: 87 pts, GV