High QPR Pinot Noir #1 (What is QPR? Criteria for selecting wines with high QPR, Reasonably priced Pinot Noir)

Show Notes

High QPR Pinot Noir #1 (What is QPR? Criteria for selecting wines with high QPR, Reasonably priced Pinot Noir)   00:00

Hello! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair! 

Ok, a quick orientation for those of you who may be new to the podcast - in each episode we learn about, taste and review three wines that are reasonably priced - meaning under $20 - and should be easy for you to find. Our goal is to have some fun, learn about some new wines, and talk about wines in a way that regular people like us can understand. And we are proud to say we  are officially recommended by the editors of Decanter Magazine, who call us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining. 

Carmela has fixed her hair and is ready to go

So, today Carmela, we are going to talk about two of my favorite things in the whole wide world, and, in fact, sort of the germ behind the idea of this whole Wine Pair Podcast thing in the first place. So, let me ask you - what is my favorite wine? That’s right, it’s Pinot Noir. And what do I love most to find when I am looking for Pinot Noir, or any other wine I really like? A good deal!

In wine parlance (that’s a ten cent word!) we call finding a diamond in the rough, or a screaming deal, where the experience of the wine far outweighs the cost of the wine - a wine with a great QPR. And what do you think QPR stands for?

QPR = Quality to Price Ratio. 

QPR is just a name for something that I think most people look for when they are shopping. In general, people love to find items that are high quality at a low price - at least most people do, don’t you think? That is why places like Costco are so popular. But finding that magic spot of high quality and low price can be hard! Why do you think that is?!? We are used to price being an indicator of quality - the more something costs, we assume the better it is, at least that is what we are taught and what we experience a lot of the time. And, sometimes, maybe we just assume that something is better because it is more expensive, right?!?

Which is why finding a wine with a great QPR - or a car, or a shirt, or a house, or a great meal - or some other thing we have to spend our money on - is so attractive, and something that people really seek out. In fact, I have trouble getting you to spend money!

So, again, I would say the concept of QPR or quality to price ratio is the basic construct of our podcast - trying to find wines under $20 that are easy to find and great to drink - and it is how I have kind of built my wine collection and mindset about wine as well. It is why I call myself the sommelier of reasonably priced wine. Not that I don’t love or have some expensive wines, but, probably because of the way I was raised, I am a sucker for a great wine at a low price. If I can find a wine that is around $20 and that tastes amazing - that is my nirvana. The vast majority of wines that I buy do target that sweet spot - although with inflation, I am not sure how long we will be able to stay in that under $20 range. At some point, it will have to go up to $25. But not today!

So, hopefully this will be the first of many episodes on finding Pinot Noirs with a good QPR - assuming this is an episode that people like. Now, most of the time in these episodes, we are going to try Pinot Noirs that we have not had before, so this will be an authentic attempt to find good Pinot Noirs the way you might out there in listening land. None of the wines we are tasting today are wines we have had before, so this will be an adventure - and so you can learn along with us what some hallmarks are that we should look for when trying to find that unicorn.

So, we’ll talk about what we look for in a good QPR, some criteria we might want to consider regarding where a good Pinot Noir that will be reasonably priced comes from, and we’ll talk about and taste three Pinot Noirs that we hope will have high QPRs in a few minutes . . . 

But first . . . we have to do our shameless plug, right Carmela? If you are enjoying our show so far, and who wouldn’t be, why don’t you just go ahead and subscribe  to our podcast, or leave us a nice a rating and review on our website on your podcast service so that people who might stumble upon us will say, hey, this looks like a podcast for me!

You can also follow us or reach out to us on Instagram at thewinepairpodcast or on CounterSocial - our Twitter alternative of choice -  or contact us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com.

And, as we do every week, we’ll tell you someone we think you should tell about The Wine Pair Podcast, and this week we want you tell anyone who loves Pinot Noir OR who loves a great deal!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.vinovest.co/blog/qpr-wines#:~:text=Wines%20with%20a%20high%20QPR,probably%20a%20good%20QPR%20wine

Topic: What is high QPR Pinot Noir?  08:59

So let’s talk a little bit about what QPR is to me, and what my criteria are for finding wines with a good QPR. Because QPR is relative to some people and relative depending on the specific circumstances. 

• For instance, in my mind quality to price ratio indicates that the product is not expensive, but there are sometimes where the cost of the item is relative to the cost of other items in that category. Do you agree? Do you have any examples?
• Take a house. A house is expensive, but a house with a good QPR would be one that, relative to the cost of other houses, offers a great value. Another could be a car. If you could find a Lamborghini for $50,000 that was in great shape and ran well, that would be a great QPR, even if the price point itself is not inexpensive objectively.

So, the price point of a QPR is not absolute in every case. And even in wine, one person’s QPR may not be another’s. For example - your dad, Carmela, likes a good deal in wine, but he could very well consider a Barolo that is $50 but should be $100 to be a screaming deal, especially if from one of his favorite producers. And I understand that. It would be hard for me to pull the trigger on that myself, but I get it! And not just because you would probably kill me!

However, for the purposes of this podcast, and the fact that one of our parameters is that the wine we taste and review is under $20, the QPR we use does have an absolute ceiling in this context - even a great wine that is underpriced but over $20 would not make it. In many ways, again, you could say our whole podcast is based on the concept of a $20 QPR. Does that make sense?

With that more or less settled, what other aspects would constitute a strong QPR for Pinot Noir other than price? In other words, what are some things you could use to judge if a wine is worth more than its price? Thoughts?!?

• Reviews from certain sources
  • There are a few reviewers that I think highly of, so while any review could be considered some source of quality, I really only pay attention to a few sources: Wine Spectator, Vinous and/or Antonio Galloni, Jancis Robinson, and usually Decanter - though not always. 
  • I really don’t pay much attention to James Suckling - I tend to just ignore his ratings because his ratings are always too high, and I actively disagree with Robert Parker and the Wine Advocate. Which is only to say that I can still use Robert Parker as a reviewer I trust, but one that I trust that I will disagree with. Which, again, is fine. 
  • I also tend not to pay too much attention to customer ratings and reviews - mostly because I am a snob and don’t think most people are reliable sources of quality when it comes to something subjective like wine. 
• Regions 
  • Pinot Noir is, of course, the classic French wine from Burgundy, so when you get a red Burgundy wine, you are getting Pinot Noir. There are, however, entry level Pinot Noirs from Burgundy that are outside of the classic Burgundy appellations. So, I often look for wines called Bourgogne Pinot Noir, which are technically not Burgundy wines, but can have very high quality. 
  • Other regions of France I think make some great Pinot Noir. One is Alsace, and the other is Sancerre. Sancerre Rouge is also a wine that  is Pinot Noir that will not be called Pinot Noir but can be amazing. 
  • Outside of France, I really am going to look for Pinot Noirs that come from cooler climates. So, there are a lot of Pinot Noirs from California that I just don’t like because they are grown in areas that are too warm in my opinion, and I am also a little wary of some Oregon Pinot Noirs and Washington State as well because they often will be grown in hot weather regions of the state. Areas to focus on outside of Burgundy that I have liked are wines from Santa Barbara California and New Zealand. 
  • Others swear by Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, but I find them hit or miss, at least in the price range I like to look for. There are other regions that grow Pinot Noir, but I have not tried them, so I cannot say. Just look for cooler climates.
• Styles
  • The cooler climate Pinot Noirs are going to be smooth, acidic, complex, and with sweet and tart fruit. 
  • California Pinots outside of Santa Barbara or other Pinot Noirs that are grown in hot weather areas or where the growing season is really hot like Eastern Washington state end up producing wines to me that are more similar to Cabernet Sauvignon in my opinion. So, even if someone felt these were good wines at good prices, for my preference, I would not consider a wine in a style that is not more traditional to be a high QPR
• Producers
  • I think a key thing to look for are certain producers of wine that you know you can rely on. I will say that, so far, I have not found any producers within the QPR that I am looking for in this episode, so we’ll see if we can find a few today.
  •  There are a couple of producers that are close - I think Trimbach makes a nice Pinot Noir that you can sometimes find for ~$25, and our friends at Compton winery in Oregon do as well, but finding a really good Pinot Noir under $20 is not easy. 
  • I have also liked a Pinot Noir from Burgundy called Domaine de la Denante Bourgogne Pinot Noir that you can often find for under $20. 

So, we’ll see if any of the three Pinot Noirs we are going to taste today fall into the category of a high QPR, so before we get to drinking them, let’s talk a little bit about them. 

We have information in our show notes

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.commongrape.com/post/pinot-noir-taste-profile
• https://trulyexperiences.com/blog/pinot-noir/ 
• https://vineroutes.com/settling-the-qpr-score-understanding-a-wines-quality-to-price-ratio/ 
• https://www.vinovest.co/blog/bourgogne-pinot-noir 
• https://www.decanter.com/premium/best-pinot-noir-wines-outside-burgundy-296918/ 

High QPR Pinot Noir We Chose for This Episode 17:39

All of the wines we are tasting and reviewing today definitely fall into the basic parameters of our podcast. All are under $20, in fact, all are $16.99 or less, and we bought them all on wine.com, so they are at least reasonably easy to find. All of the wines we are trying today are also from California, so for those of you listeners in the United States, you should be able to find them locally as well or have someone order them for you. 

Additionally, as we mentioned, all of these wines have at least a 90 rating from what are considered at least reputable sources, even if you don’t necessarily agree with them - in this case, from Wine Enthusiast and Decanter. So, there is at least a reasonable chance that we could find one that has a good QPR.

The first wine we are going to try is called District 7 Pinot Noir from Monterey, in the Central Coast of California. This wine received a 90 rating from both Wine Enthusiast and Decanter, and was our most expensive of the three at $16.99. Woah.

This wine is from an area we have driven through many times, Carmela, called the Salinas Valley in California which we drove through many times in our trips to San Luis Obispo, and they comment in their description that the area is known for cool, windy, and foggy conditions - so at least a reasonably cool place for California. 

Decanter says that this wine “over delivers for the price” which feels just right for our podcast, and they gave it a silver medal, and Wine Enthusiast chose it as an Editor’s Choice.  So, this one feels like it should be a good QPR, so we’ll see.

The second wine we are going to try I am a little worried about for a few reasons, but we are going to give it a shot. It is called McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Noir and it is from Lodi California, which is from a little warmer area of California than Salinas. Wine Enthusiast gave it 90 points and called it a best buy, and it is only $12.99. So, it has every potential to be a wine with a great QPR.

I am a little worried about it, though - first, because the only review is Wine Enthusiast, which I consider to often be a review source that over-rates wines. Second, it is from an area of California that is not a cool climate. It is also not 100% Pinot Noir - they actually add a little Petite Sirah to give what they call color and texture. Not a huge fan of that. Third, it’s a 2021, so it’s probably too young regardless. And, Wine Enthusiast describes the wine as “warm, generous and rounded” and “full bodied” which makes me a little nervous that it is going to be in more of a Cabernet Sauvignon style. 

The last wine we are trying is called The Pinot Project Pinot Noir from California. Yes, evidently, from a few different places in California. Which could be fine, but wine snobs really like wines that are from specific vineyards. We do know this wine is sourced from vineyards in Sonoma County, Monterey, and Central Coast vineyards. So, potentially some cooler temp areas, but I am always a little wary of wines that source their grapes from all over the place. 

Both Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling rated the 2020 that we are tasting a 90, but again, I take Suckling’s reviews with a grain of salt because he basically gives everything a 90 or more. It was also interesting to see that Wine Enthusiast and Suckling both tasted the same wine, but came up with very different impressions of the wine. 

Wine Enthusiast said about this wine: “classic red and black cherries, along with light cinnamon nuances” while James Suckling said: “herbs, strawberries, and hibiscus” which sounds pretty different. We see that sometimes, don’t we?!? But it makes you wonder how reliable some of these reviews are. 

Again, though, this is a wine that is also  $12.99 and has ratings in the 90s from recognized sources, so it at least has the potential for a good QPR, but we will see. 

This winery - The Pinot Project - has been written up in places like Forbes, The New York Times, and Wine Spectator as a good bargain, so we have hope! Also, this is a wine that evidently does ok chilled (Pinot Noir should be served around cellar temperature, not room temperature, so slightly chilled), and it comes in cans and kegs, too. Which means it does not take itself too, too seriously which is fun. Woo Hoo! 

All right, enough of that jibber jabber, I think it’s time to try some wine!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.wespeakwine.com/products/district-7-pinot-noir-monterey-2020-750ml.html 
• https://www.mcmanisfamilyvineyards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/pinot-noir-tasting-notes-nv.pdf 
• https://www.wine.com/product/mcmanis-family-vineyards-pinot-noir-2021/1132184
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiebell/2020/03/25/the-best-in-cheap-delicious-wines-for-your-quarantine-wine-emergencies/?sh=4d162aea7819
• https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60f18a093875ef3231ce4e53/t/62684d30d64b4f0015b9e3b5/1651002672827/PINOT-PROJECT_Pinot-Noir_California_2020_TECH.pdf

Pinot Noir wine pairing tasting and review 24:58

Wine: District 7 Pinot Noir (Click here to buy this wine - affiliate link) 
Region: California, Monterey, Central Coast
Producer: District 7
Year: 2020
Price: $16.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Professional Rating: D 90, WE 90 (Editor’s Choice)

What we tasted and smelled in this Pinot Noir: Sour cherry, raspberry, smoke, earthy, clay, tart cherry, wood, tar, rose petal. Probably young. Very Pinot Noir smell. Very pleasant

Food to pair with this Pinot Noir: Steak, cheeseburger, pasta with red sauce, pizza, roasts, turkey, chicken. 

As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and in-between we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it. 

Rating: 

• Joe: 7/10
• Carmela: 7/10

Wine: McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Noir (Click here to buy this wine - affiliate link)
Region: California, Lodi
Producer: McManis Family Vineyards
Year: 2021
Price: $12.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Pinot Noir plus a small amount of Petite Sirah
Professional Rating: WE 90 (Best Buy)

What we tasted and smelled in this Pinot Noir: Not a typical Pinot Noir smell. Glue, alcohol, cheap perfume, dried flowers, flavored frosting, flavored crayon. Sweet, sugary, strawberry Starburst, Red Vine, not complex. Just ok. 

Food to pair with this Pinot Noir: Panini, grilled chicken sandwich, Cuban sandwich, needs bread. A sandwich wine. Pizza. Grilled foods. 
 

Rating: 

• Joe: 6/10
• Carmela: 6/10

Wine: The Pinot Project Pinot Noir (Click here to buy this wine - affiliate link)
Region: California (Monterey and San Benito in the Central Coast, and Suisun Valley in the North Coast)
Producer: Skurnik Wines and Spirits
Year: 2020
Price: $12.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Professional Rating: WE 90, JS 90

What we tasted and smelled in this Pinot Noir: Cherry, rose petal, spice, pepper, sweet tobacco, baking spices, cinnamon, paprika, allspice, cloves. Tart red fruit, bolder a more body than an average Pinot Noir. Pleasant. Smooth. Good for Cabernet or Merlot fans. Enjoyable. 

Food to pair with this Pinot Noir: Bolognese, chili, roast, good with food. Steaks, burgers, red meat. Tacos. 


Rating: 

• Joe: 7/10
• Carmela: 7/10

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: District 7 Pinot Noir
• Joe: District 7 Pinot Noir

High QPR or not?
The District 7 Pinot Noir and the Pinot Project had very good QPR.


Taste profiles expected from Pinot Noir:  44:48

• Wine Folly
  • Cherry, raspberry, clove, mushroom, vanilla
  • France: Mushroom, cranberry, plum sauce, pastille candy (gummy candy or lozenges), hibiscus
  • Central Coast CA: Raspberry sauce, plum, gun smoke, vanilla, allspice
  • Cooler climates: tart red fruit; warmer climates: blackberry, black cherry, black currant
• District 7
  • Decanter: Fresh red fruit scent with herbal notes. Structured, weighty palate with ripe strawberry
  • WE: Crushed slate, strawberry and bay leaf aromas lead the nose into a palate that’s warmed by sandalwood, wrapped in a tense frame and still generous with dried cherry, baked cranberry and orange rind flavors
• McManis
  • WE: mulled plums, cherries and subtle vanilla and cinnamon notes
• Pinot Project
  • Forbes: pomegranate and baking spice, the palate shows notes of dark cherry, blackberry and five spice
  • WE: Classic red and black cherries, light cinnamon nuances
  • JS: fresh herbs, strawberries and hibiscus

Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 47:24

As always, thank you so very much for listening to us, The Wine Pair, and you know, while you’re thinking about it, we think you should subscribe and give us a nice rating! 

We would also love to hear from you. Please reach out to us on our website thewinepairpodcast.com, you can email us at joe@thewinepairpodcast.com, you can follow us on Instagram and you can also find us on a Twitter alternative we just joined that I think we are going to like called CounterSocial - which seems to be a pretty positive environment, and we would be so happy if you DM’ed us and told us what you think, if you have ideas for future episodes or wines you are curious about or wine styles you are interested in or ways of growing wines you are curious about! And, we hope you tell your friends and family and loved ones and your mom and everyone who ever said anything nice to you about us!

Thanks for listening to the Wine Pair podcast, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.