Zin wins the value wine of the week once again. As a reminder, my goal is to find high quality to price ratio wines for you. That means I’m looking to keep the price under $20 and in most cases keep it under $16. In addition these wines should be widely available so that you can find them relatively easily.

Here’s a California Zinfandel from Mendocino County that recently scored 90 points from the Wine Spectator. It has beautiful dark berry and licorice aromas that make you want to take your time pondering these and other nuances while the wine opens up in the glass.

After about 15-20 minutes the zesty and spicy flavors really begin to take over leading to a medium length finish that leaves you wanting to savor every last drop. We enjoyed this wine with marinated grilled chicken that enhanced both the chicken and the wine.

There were close to 13,000 cases of this Zin made and I hope there’s some near you. You should be able to purchase it in the $15-$17 range. As I’ve said previously, high quality Zins in this price range are hard to find, so this one won’t last long on the shelves. Get some to enjoy now while you can find it, or you can cellar it for about 5 years.

Is it still summer time? Then we must still be grilling. And if we’re still grilling then I’m writing about the best red wine to pair with grilled meats. Zinfandel! When I say Zinfandel I’m always talking about the red varietal.

Predator is the first “Zin” review since I’ve started writing for you. I’m sure there will be more. Zinfandel is the most versatile red wine I have experienced. There are a few different styles based on the region the grapes are grown along with the wine maker’s preferences.

Predator is from the Lodi Appellation of California and is harvested from “old vines”. If you look closely at the label you will see that the Lady Bug is the Predator, implying the organic approach to controlling pests used by this winery.

Predator is characterized by bacon, vanilla, smoky barbeque and spice on the nose. When it hits your pallet there is a jammy and robust dark cherry flavor that mingles with the characteristic spiciness that often accompanies Zinfandel.

Good Zinfandels can get very pricey, but this one can be purchased for $14-16. Grill a burger, steak, lamb chops or marinated chicken and pop open a bottle of this full bodied red wine.

It’s always a parent’s joy when your children like at least some of what their parents like.  So I want to give props to my son for sending this refreshing white blend from California to me for Father’s Day this year.  Since then, we’ve shared several bottles with friends and family through the summer months and it’s been a big hit.

Chenin Blanc (79%) is a white wine varietal from the Loire valley of France.  Its high level of acidity means it is very versatile and its neutral palate allows it to take on the flavors of the soil it is grown in.  The bright fruit character shines through in this Napa Valley grown grape.

Viognier (21%) is also a grape of French origin and in this case comes from the Lodi region of northern California.  Viognier is typically characterized by a floral and spicy nature.

You won’t have to think hard when you drink this wine, just simply enjoy it by itself or with light appetizers, fish, or a grilled chicken salad.  It’s widely available between $11-13 and was awarded 90 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.