QPR wine buying and why you should leave the hype at home

It may seem strange, but for me, pacing through the aisles of a supermarket or wine shop, meticulously examining prospective bottles of wine to purchase is an ever enjoyable event.  The fact is, I find the expansion of my palate exhilarating, educational and useful (from both a professional and recreational perspective).  And like most people, I don't have the funds (nor the desire in many ways) to pick up a mixed case of cult California Cab, Grand Cru White Burgundy and Bordeaux on a whim.  

Clearly that example is exaggeration and generalization but there does exist a sect of people looking for "good" wine who will settle for any Cab or Chardonnay as long as it has a heavy bottle, price tag over $40-50 and says Napa Valley on the label.  My clear tone of resentment comes after a visit to a fine wine shop in downtown San Diego where overpriced bottles of Silver Oak, Caymus, Paul Hobbs, Heitz, etc. lined the walls of the cellar... very original.  Sure I'd love to get my hands on some Napa Cult product but can I afford it - absolutely not.  Even if I could spare a grand on a case of wine, there are hundreds of wines I'd buy before I'd look at California Cab.  So enough with hyperbole, the point is that wine is a worldly substance whose quality should be measured subjectively, regardless of label, price, etc.  The goal of this article is to halt the hypnosis of repetitive wine buying and expose the enjoyment of finding interesting new wines of great value - quality price ratio (qpr) baby.

When I go shopping the bottles I see on the shelves look more like Charles Shaw than Chateau Latour.  It may seem confusing trying to sort through the myriad syrah, meritage, and

chardonnay with flashy labels, catchy names and prices barely into double digits or less, but if you know what you like and what to look for there are some serious deals to be had.  I buy wine based on varietal, location, and price (as it fits the varietal & location), and thats how I'm going to explain my strategies to you.

Varietal:  When I'm in a wine buying situation I gravitate towards things I haven't tried.  It is a strategy that has worked more often than not but can be a bit risky too.  There was a time when I said what the hell is Carmenere, Riesling, Barbera and thought if a bottle said Bordeaux in gold leaf writing and had a lithograph of a chateau on the label it was automatically good.  To put this anecdote in a more general context, I'm sure there are situations in which the everyday consumer reaches for the pricier California Cab instead of the Chilean one because it is what they are comfortable with or thinks will be of higher quality.  This is a pattern that I feel needs to be broken.  

So why does Pinot Noir cost twice as much as everything else?  Yes, Pinot is a more difficult grape to grow and needs more delicate vinification, but what the price difference comes down to is supply/demand and marketing.  Hence, the more obscure varietals, ones with bad press i.e. merlot (thanks hollywood), or those where there is a glut are going to naturally be less expensive. Basic business.  My advice is to do a little homework.  Find something new and bargain oriented and try it.  Having some general knowledge of varietals before you buy will help you break out of your comfort zone and find something different that your palate will still agree with.

Location:

When I look at location I'm not just thinking "is that France or is that California?"  Whether budget or cellar worthy, where a wine is made is as important as who made it.  So when perusing through labels I scrutinize each wine down to their AOC (or god forbid Vin de Table) to figure out what "x" bottle has in store.  Again, this is information that takes a little while to seek out.  But once familiarized with general wine regions, buying power multiplies.  For

instance, if I want a tasty southern Rhône blend and I can't fork out the bills for a Chateauneauf-du-Pape, I go immediately to my favorite producers with wines of Cotes-du-Rhone Villages, Cote-de-Ventoux, and Vaqueras designations.  It's simple tricks like this that will allow you to be a knowledgeable and savvy shopper.

Recommendations: 

Chilean Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Meritage.  There are some good quality wines coming out of Chile right now at very decent prices.  This shouldn't be new news to the informed wine drinker but worth making a note of anyway. Carmenere, the lost Bordeaux varietal that became virtually extinct after the phylloxera epidemic swept Europe, has been protected, nurtured and made into some tasty and distinct wines.  

Try: Chocolan, Santa Rita Reserva, and Concha y Toro Diablo for value grocery brands that are easy to find. 

Spain:  Spain is often considered one of the top "new world" wine producers.  With a vineyard expansion into hotter more continental climate areas, spanish vintners have found the ability to produce excellent value wines with plenty of mature fruit that plays well to the new world palate.  The domestic powerhouse of "La Rioja" is shadowed by areas like Ribera del Duero, Toro, and Campo de Borja.  

For deals I would recommend: reds from Jumilla, Campo de Borja, and whites from Rueda, Bierzo and Rias Baixas.  

New Zealand:  Sauvignon Blanc from $5-$15, plenty of good ones, everyone knows about this already so I'll end my commentary there.

France: I've had a recent fetish for Mourvèdre that has led me to experiment with wines of Provence and Languedoc-Rousillon.  Mourvèdre is a varietal that makes sturdy, tannic, and gamy wines and is a major varietal used in southern French reds (and sometimes rosés).  Its blended frequently blended with Syrah and Grenache (two other favorites of mine) and can produce some interesting wines at good prices.  I recently opened a 2000 Jean Luc Colombo Les Pins Couchés from Aix en Provence that was exquisite and retailed for around $12.  

Portugal:  The word on the street is that Portuguese still reds are some of the hottest buys on the market right now.  I have not tasted much from Portugal personally but what I have tried was fairly impressive.  Look for reds from Dao and Douro although it might be worthwhile to try anything.

California:  Ahh, so many choices.  Plain and simple, I know where I like my fruit to come from and I like deals.  I would suggest trying wines from all over the state and narrow down a few areas that are making wine to your liking.  Pay attention to producers, price trends, and look for deals.  For example, Trader Joes bought the entire 2006 estate line from Domaine Alfred, a respectable Edna Valley label, and is selling the wines off at approximately 1/2 the suggested retail.  

My picks for CA wine regions:  North Coast and Mendocino,  Monterey, Arroyo Seco, Santa Cruz Mountains, West Side Paso Robles, Edna Valley, most of Santa Barbara County.  

Final Word:  Leave your comfort zone and try something new.  Pay attention to what you like about a wine and only use ratings for general guidance.  Its a slow learning process but one that will pay off in the end if you let it.  I encourage everyone to explore and appreciate the diversity wine has to offer.  

Salud.