Making The Case

To get on this wine list, you've got to be good

EACH YEAR for the past four, I've selected three cases of wine from among the hundreds tasted in the months leading up to this annual issue. How do wines land on these lists?

For starters, they must be wines that offer unusual value, exceptional flavors, something above and beyond the competition.

It's not easy to stand out in the crowd anymore. One reason: the "homogenization" and "internationalization" of wine styles. The problem exists at both ends of the wine spectrum.

The pricey "cult" wines are the product of ultra-ripe grapes, fanatical vineyard management, and winemakers who sincerely believe that bigger is always better. I find many — not all — of these wines to be undrinkable. They are too big and hot and oaky to marry well with food; they have so much alcohol that a single glass makes your head spin. At the same time, most widely available, everyday wines (those costing less than $10 a bottle) are produced by industrial-scale wineries. Their money is spent on packaging and marketing, not on expensive grapes. The wines are pleasant but formulaic. Start with a known grape, then finesse the fermentation (with special yeasts, micro-oxygenation and other tricks) so the finished wine is slightly sweet, fruity and soft. Toss in some oak treatment to impart the taste of vanilla, and you have a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

The wines I most enjoy are more specific. They taste like a particular variety of grape, grown and made into wine in a particular place. The best also reflect the soil, climate and vintage conditions of the place from which they came. The French word terroir suggests a wine that expresses the grape, the soil, the site and the climate through its complex scents and flavors. Super-extraction, too much alcohol and excessive use of new oak barrels — the formula for many cult wines, will obliterate terroir.

Learning to taste the nuances in wine is not always easy, but it is rewarding. The wines on my annual lists, like the wines I recommend each week, go beyond the ordinary. Naturally, I don't expect an $8 wine to taste better than a $40 wine (though some do). But I do wish for it to be a better $8 wine in its category than all the others I am tasting, and if it is, it makes the list.

The search for quality must be balanced with reasonable accessibility. I have listed the local distributors for the recommended wines to help you find them. Should you have trouble, remember that Washington state allows individuals to buy wines directly from wineries out of state (though not from retailers out of state). If you love a wine, contact the winery directly. Most have Web sites and mailing lists, and in some instances getting on the mailing list is the only way to obtain the wines.

Although I try to keep these lists current, vintages constantly change. I list the vintage I have most recently tasted; however, if you see a different vintage, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a lesser one. An older vintage, especially of a red wine, may be smoother than the newest one, because it has had extra time in the bottle.

With whites, younger is usually better. But don't let vintage variation scare you away from trying any of these wines as long as the producer, grape, vineyard, etc. are the same.

We'll start with a case to get you started on the holiday celebrating. Most people love French Champagne (remember, anything that calls itself Champagne and isn't French is not likely very good). But it's pricey. I have chased down a dozen French sparkling wines from outside the Champagne region. They may use different grapes, and they cost considerably less, but they are made by the Champagne method and have all the sparkle and snap of the high-priced stuff. And they are still better than comparably priced bubbly from anywhere else.

AFFORDABLE FRENCH BUBBLY

Here are some gems that will certainly add some joie de vivre (French for "pass me that bottle!") to your holiday meals. Listed in order of preference:

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé; $15. Pale, pale copper with fine bubbles and light scents of rose petals, cherries and fresh herbs. A lovely, elegant wine. (Unique)

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Blanc de Blancs; $15. The companion bottle is this 100 percent pinot blanc Brut. Exotic flavors of clove, ginger, orange spice mingle in a penetrating, long-lasting tango. Different from Champagne, but comparable. (Unique)

René Muré Crémant d'Alsace; $17. Comes out a bit foamy, then settles into more interesting flavors of quince, lime and stone. Polished and austere. (Noble)

Maison Guinot "Impérial" Crémant de Limoux; $18. The label reads "Brut-Tendre" — as my tasting companions noted, all brutes should be so tender. Made from chardonnay, chenin blanc and mauzac, this buttery Champagne-wannabe tastes of yeast, toast, nuts, white peaches and green apples. (Cascade Trade)

Bouvet "Signature" Brut; $11. Yeasty and firm, though based largely on chenin blanc, this offers Champagne-quality flavors. White peach, apple, fig and citrus oil notes combine to create a complex, refreshing wine that lingers lusciously on the lips. (Young's Columbia)

Bouvet Rosé "Excellence"; $13. The rosé companion to the "Signature" brut shows round, slightly sweet cherry/raspberry fruit and plenty of power. (Young's Columbia)

Saint-Hilaire 2001 Blanquette de Limoux; $13. Blanquette is another name for mauzac, the local grape, and it lends a lightly honeyed note to this full-bodied bubbly. Green apple, citrus rind, hazelnut, candied fruits. Wow! (Young's Columbia)

Berlène 1999 Blanquette de Limoux; $10. Same type of wine, different producer. It's an older vintage, bone dry, lightly nutty and refined. (Grape Expectations)

Louis Bouillot "Perle de Vigne" Grand Reserve Brut; $14. This luscious, fruit-driven bubbly is 80 percent pinot noir and 20 percent chardonnay, from Burgundy rather than Champagne. The flavors of vanilla, almond, toasted bread and ripe fruit finish with mature notes of honey and ginger. (NW Wine Company)

J.P. Chenet Brut; $10. Toasty, yeasty and surprisingly concentrated; a very pleasant fizz. Exceptional for the price. (Unique)

Monmousseau "Crémant de Loire"; $12. Very creamy, in fact the flavors are of fresh cream laced with lime and honeysuckle. (Alaska)

Chamdeville Brut Blanc de Blancs; $8. Dry and toasty, good bubbles and just a hint of tea and honey. Very nice for the price. (Young's Columbia)

BEST OF WASHINGTON

Here are a dozen of the best Washington wines released in the past year, price no object. In my view, these are some of the wines that are setting the highest standards throughout the region. You will see the list is heavily weighted toward red wines, in part because reds are generally viewed as the most important indicators of regional quality, and in part because we have so many small producers who specialize in red wines. If current vintages are sold out, contact the winery and see when the new releases will appear. If all else fails, ask which restaurants sell their wines. If you can afford the freight, you can find virtually anything you want on a wine list somewhere.

Whites

Chaleur Estate 2004 Blanc; $31. DeLille Cellars' Bordeaux blended white wine is consistently among the best in the country. Rich and buttery, just this side of unctuous, it is smoothly styled with lingering layers of citrus oils, stone fruits, melon and nuts.

Columbia Winery 2004 Gewurztraminer; $9. Bracingly fresh and crisp despite its 3.1 percent residual sugar. Rich and intense, it shows lovely flavors of pink grapefruit, melon and citrus rind.

Bergevin Lane 2004 Viognier; $25. Thick and peachy, this barrel-fermented, oak-aged wine displays intense fruit flavors of apricot, white peach and citrus. Round and fleshy, with a kiss of vanilla to finish.

Reds

Quilceda Creek 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon; $80. Amazing density; the aromas billow up from the glass and weave together sinuously, taking you on a bit of a magic carpet ride before the wine even hits your mouth. Blends the power of a monster California cab with the subtlety of a first-growth Bordeaux. It's a massive blast of dark fruits, incredible viscosity, silky textures and soft herbs, pepper and spice.

Leonetti Cellar 2002 Reserve; $95. Sweet plum, blueberry and blackberry fruits are seamlessly married to layers of different flavored chocolates. Silky and supple, the wood flavors are so beautifully smoothed into the fruit that they are never intrusive. A glorious bottle of wine.

Fielding Hills 2003 Merlot; $28. A brilliant effort from this emerging superstar winery. The vibrant fruit is polished to a fine luster with perfectly applied oak "seasoning" that adds toast, butter, coconut, cedar and smoke, lifted with scents of tobacco, citrus and leaf.

Beresan 2003 Stone River Red; $35. A twin to the winery's phenomenal 2002. The secret here is the river rock on which the vines struggle to put down roots, resulting in a firm, layered wine with tart, leafy fruits, and the signature minerality of the vineyard.

K Vintners 2003 "Ovide — En Cerise Vineyard" Red; $55. This top-of-the-line K blend of cabernet and syrah is packed with mineral, chalk, pencil lead and spice. Sharply defined flavors of raspberries and strawberry preserves are streaked with mineral notes and dark, slightly bitter tannins.

J Bookwalter 2002 "Chapter One" Meritage; $68. The winery's first meritage is complex, showing layers of pencil lead, licorice and charcoal wrapped around dense black fruits and sweet tannins.

Mark Ryan 2003 Dead Horse Red; $39. The winery's "left bank" blend is 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 21 percent merlot, 17 percent cab franc and 4 percent petit verdot, all Ciel du Cheval fruit. The biggest and best wine of a very strong lineup, it captures the rich, silky chocolate flavors of high-end Napa but also showcases the elegant, gravelly minerality of the vineyard.

OS Winery 2003 Sheridan Vineyard "Ulysses" Red; $50. OS (formerly Owen-Sullivan) has hit a home run with the 2003 Ulysses, a voluptuous blend of cabernet franc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Extracted and volatile, it layers nuanced flavors of dried herbs, mineral, leaf, coffee and scorched earth.

Seven Hills 2003 Ciel du Cheval Red; $30. A deceptively light and airy wine that promotes elegance and grace over sheer power. Let it breathe — decanting would be a good idea — and it fills out into a classic display of tart black cherry and cassis fruit and gravelly stone, concentrated but still supple.

GLOBAL VALUE

The goal here is to assemble a case of great wine that will cost you around a hundred bucks. The prices quoted may vary slightly, but with a case-purchase discount, this should come in just about on target.

Whites

Heron 2004 Chardonnay; $12. Though California is awash in chardonnay, very little hits the trifecta of perfect ripeness, perfect balance and perfect price. Here you go — tropical fruit, buttered nuts, caramel and pineapple in a round, supple frame. (Cavatappi)

Barnard Griffin 2004 White Riesling; $8. It enters the mouth with crisp authority, then plumps up into a ripe, peachy mid-palate. Light, flavorful and refreshing, it's got so much peach-skin grip you can almost taste the fuzz. Another great effort from winemaker Rob Griffin. (Noble)

Lois 2004 Gruner Veltliner; $11. This has everything you could ask for in a pricey gruner — except the price. A well-defined, crisply acidic wine whose flavors are anchored upon pink grapefruit and citrus, with a hint of tarragon. A perfect turkey white. (Triage)

Covey Run 2004 Pinot Grigio; $7. This blows away everything in its price range. Plump flavors of pear, peach, citrus and green apple show persistence and a mouth-cleaning tartness. (Young's-Columbia)

Ciao Bella 2004 Pinot Grigio; $10. Italian pinot grigio has become a standard, can't-miss white-wine choice for all occasions. Here's a fruit-forward version, from the best vintage since 2001, showing full-bodied pear and apple flavors with good acidity. Pair it with everything from fish to Thanksgiving turkey. (Cavatappi)

Lindemans "Bin 70" Chardonnay Riesling; $7. Lindemans is well known for its Bin series, which has recently introduced a trio of mixed blend wines, including this creamy, fruity, slightly sweet chardonnay-riesling. Pretty citrus aromas mingle with lively stone fruits. Just the right touch of sweetness. (Noble)

Reds

High Altitude 2004 Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon; $8. The 2004 vintage of this outstanding Argentine red is again fresh and acidic, with spicy, penetrating cranberry/red currant fruit flavors. (Unique)

Barossa Valley Estate Spires 2003 Shiraz; $10. BVE winemaker Stuart Bourne also crafts the extraordinary "E&E Black Pepper" shiraz, as well as the excellent "Ebenezer" shiraz; he says he works hardest on this budget Spires bottling, and it shows. Delicious, tangy fruit, non-interventionist winemaking and unusual concentration add up to a remarkable wine that any shiraz lover may embrace. (Alaska)

Bodegas Borsao 2003 Borsao; $7. I put this in a tasting with some $30 wines and when the group voted it the best wine of the bunch, I told them the price. You just can't believe the heft, density and intriguing complexity of this Spanish red. Three quarters grenache, one quarter tempranillo, packed with cherry, smoke, tar, black tea and spice. (Elliott Bay)

Wrongo Dongo 2003 Red; $8. Silly name, silly label, super wine. From Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil, this 100 percent monastrell (mourvèdre) from the Jumilla region of Spain delivers ripe, sweet, juicy flavors of pie cherry and stewed prune, nicely accented with hints of cocoa. (Elliott Bay)

Finca Luzon 2004; $8. Here is another killer Jumilla red imported by Jorge Ordonez, this monastrell/syrah blend packs a knockout punch of ripe red fruits with mixed dried herbs, mint and pine needle. Resonant and full-flavored, it clamors for red meat. (Elliott Bay)

Pepperwood Grove 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon; $7. If you're looking for a smooth, California style, with sweet fruit, chocolate and vanilla notes and a hit of citrus, this meets the challenge and shows more muscle than most. (Alaska)

Paul Gregutt writes the Wednesday wine column for The Seattle Times and covers Northwest wine for the Wine Enthusiast magazine and Tom Stevenson's Wine Report books. Write to him at: wine@seattletimes.com. Julie Notarianni is a Times staff artist.