Erik Neilson on February 5, 2017 0 Comments Spend enough time learning about wine, and there’s a good chance you’ll end up stumbling across certain terms that keep coming up time and time again. One of the more interesting and unique is “QPR,” which is short for “Quality-to-Price-Ratio.” It’s something that high-end wine drinkers and budget deal seekers alike talk about, simply because it refers to wines that are exceptionally delicious considering their price-point. It could be an $8 Tempranillo that drinks like it should cost $50, perhaps, or maybe a Bordeaux that shocks your guests when you tell them you only spent $75 on the bottle. Either way, searching for “good QPR” wines can help you to ensure that you’re only drinking the best of what’s out there at certain price points. Ready to discover the best values in wine? Here are 8 high QPR wines that will blow you away. 1. 2013 Castle Rock Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir Anyone who has a strong interest in drinking Pinot Noir likely already knows that it doesn’t tend to come cheap, especially Pinot Noir from California. That being said, the 2013 Castle Rock Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir is one of the best deals going in wine today, and it’s an ideal option for anyone who wants to buy a case of very drinkable Pinot Noir to keep around the house. Hovering around (but mostly below) $20, this wine drinks as if it were at least twice its price and has received 90 points from Wine Spectator in the past. Fresh and lush, it’s everything a good Pinot Noir should be. 2. 2013 Brassfield Estate Eruption Most bargain hunters are well aware of the fact that blends are typically the way to go when trying to keep costs down. Eruption from California’s Brassfield Estate is a prime example of just how delicious a $15 red blend can be, and it’s one of the easier bottles on this list to find. Think freshly baked bread, stewed plums and ripe blueberries, all coming in at a relatively high alcohol content of 14.4%. It’s a heavy hitter for sure, but given its price, there’s no reason not to stock up. 3. 2014 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé When most people think of Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. That is, until they try one. Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé can be rich in dried strawberry and floral flavors, and you won’t do better at a price point of just $14 than the 2014 Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé. This dry, full-bodied Rosé hails from South Africa’s Coastal Region, and its firm flavors of raspberries, cassis, grapefruit pith and lavender make for one of the most satisfying sparklers on the market. Very pleasant acidity in this one. 4. 2013 Villa Creek Pink Another standout Rosé can be found in the 2013 vintage of Villa Creek Pink. It’s only around $15, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better companion for a light dinner. It features a crisp, clean nose of strawberries and fresh cream, flanked by baking spices, peaches and a touch of sugary sweetness that gives way to a mouthwatering acidity. With its earthy backbone, Villa Creek Pink is fit for drinking either with a meal or on its very own, depending upon how you’re feeling. At this price, it’s an affordable luxury more than worth checking out if you haven’t already. 5. 2014 Aia Vecchia Vermentino Though many of the wine coming out of Italy carries with it a relatively high price tag, there are plenty of bottles to find that are actually excellent deals in their own right. This can be said for the 2014 vintage of Aia Vecchia Vermentino, coming out of Tuscany. It’s a mineral-laden white that’s far more round and developed than many people are used to given its restrained acidity, and flavors of honeycrisp melon carry into a long finish that never seems to want to dissipate. A pleasant wine that’s suitable for drinking anywhere, any time. Did we mention it sells for only $12 a bottle? 6. 2012 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Sticking within the confines of Italy, red lovers who are looking for a powerful wine that doesn’t come with a powerful price tag need look no further than the 2012 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico. A bit more expensive at just slightly more than $20/bottle, this wine should cost upwards of $100. Why? It’s rich in flavors of black cherry, vanilla, plums, baking spices and fresh-cut flowers. As with most Chianti Classico, this wine can age gracefully for a long period of time and would do well to sit in the cellar for a few years, but it’s ready for drinking now. 7. 2012 Enrique Mendoza Alicante La Tremenda Monastrell As far as grapes that represent great value across the board go, Monastrell tends to find itself up toward the top of the list. This being said, some Monastrell can be difficult, which is why it’s best to start with a surefire bottle like the 2012 Enrique Mendoza Alicante La Tremenda Monastrell. Plush and full of fruit, this wine brings to mind flavors of black cherry, cola and red currant, all framed by aggressive tannins and sweet baking spices. It’s about as bright as Monastrell gets, though the tannic structure allows for a finish that doesn’t give way for quite some time. 8. 2012 Core Grenache Santa Barbara County Grenache can be a true epiphany, especially when it comes out of the right winery. Core’s 2012 vintage of their excellent Grenache is everything you might expect from such a wine — garnet-red in color, elegant, silky and mysterious. The nose on this wine is absolutely huge, bursting with unique scents that seem to come from Asian cuisine: think five-spice powder and faint ginger lurking in the background. The finish is intensely long, and it’ll likely grow in intensity if this wine is allowed to age for the next few years. At around $17, this is perhaps the best-value Grenache coming out of California today.
