Top Washington wine picks for 2009

MANY "BEST OF" wine lists are published each year, but this annual look at my top 100 Washington wines is focused exclusively on wines from this state. I look through a year's worth of tasting notes and select one wine from each of 100 wineries for inclusion. This ranking is not done strictly by the numbers, though I scored all these wines 90 points or higher on the 100-point scale. But because I firmly believe that both quality and cost are factors in overall excellence, these rankings also took price into account. So with wines that got a 94 score, for instance, I gave a higher ranking on this list to the one that was cheaper.

All have been released within the past year, but some are already sold out. Your wine seller can guide you to what is still available, and in some instances he or she may have a newer vintage in stock. Why just one wine per winery? With more than 650 wineries in the state, it is the best way to feature the breadth and depth of the industry's offerings. My sincere appreciation to the talented growers and winemakers mentioned here, and to all of you who are kind enough to follow this column each week.

1. Charles Smith 2006 Royal City Syrah ($80)

2. Quilceda Creek 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($125)

3. Betz Family 2006 Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon ($58)

4. Abeja 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($80)

5. Leonetti Cellar 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($85)

6. Fielding Hills 2007 RiverBend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($38)

7. Owen Roe 2007 Lady Rosa Syrah ($45)

8. Andrew Will 2006 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Wine ($55)

9. K Vintners 2006 En Chamberlin Roma Red ($60)

10. Sineann 2007 Block One Cabernet Sauvignon ($72)

11. Côte Bonneville 2005 DuBrul Vineyard Red ($125)

12. Poet's Leap 2008 Riesling ($20)

13. Buty 2007 70% Sémillon/26% Sauvignon/4% Muscadelle ($25)

14. Rôtie Cellars 2007 Southern Blend Red Wine ($35)

15. Rulo 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($40)

16. Gramercy Cellars 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($42)

17. Stevens 2006 XY Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($42)

18. Northstar 2006 Merlot ($50)

19. Corliss Estates 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($75)

20. Nicholas Cole Cellars 2005 Estate Reserve ($75)

21. Den Hoed 2006 Andreas Cabernet Sauvignon ($80)

22. Upland Estates 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($18)

23. Novelty Hill 2007 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Viognier ($20)

24. Ardenvoir 2008 Artist Series Sémillon ($22)

25. Eroica 2008 Riesling ($24)

26. Beresan 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29)

27. JM Cellars 2007 Chardonnay ($32)

28. Watermill 2006 Praying Mantis Syrah ($32)

29. Bunchgrass 2007 Frazier Bluff Vineyard Malbec ($32)

30. McCrea 2005 Boushey Grande Côte Vineyard Syrah ($36)

31. Balboa 2006 Sayulita Red ($40)

32. Woodward Canyon 2008 Chardonnay ($44)

33. Dunham 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon XII ($45)

34. Grand Rêve 2006 Collaboration Series III Ciel du Cheval Red ($45)

35. L'Ecole No 41 2006 Seven Hills Vineyard Perigee ($50)

36. Spring Valley Vineyard 2006 Uriah Red ($50)

37. Rasa Vineyards 2007 QED Syrah ($50)

38. Pepper Bridge 2006 Seven Hills Vineyard Red ($55)

39. Gorman 2007 The Evil Twin Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)

40. DeLille Cellars 2006 Chaleur Estate Red Wine ($75)

41. JBookwalter 2006 Chapter Two Red ($78)

42. Boudreaux Cellars 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($100)

43. Whitman Cellars 2008 Riesling ($14)

44. Pacific Rim 2008 Organic Riesling ($14)

45. Amavi Cellars 2008 Sémillon ($20)

46. Syncline 2007 Syrah ($24)

47. Sleight of Hand 2007 The Enchantress Chardonnay ($24)

48. Darby 2008 Le Deuce Viognier 52%/Roussanne 48% ($24)

49. Barrister 2007 Cabernet Franc ($27)

50. Hestia Cellars 2006 Syrah ($32)

51. Tamarack Cellars 2006 DuBrul Vineyard Reserve Red ($45)

52. Arbor Crest 2005 Dionysus Red ($45)

53. Walla Walla Vintners 2006 Vineyard Select Cabernet Sauvignon ($48)

54. Doyenne 2006 Syrah ($49)

55. Cougar Crest 2005 Estate Grown Reserve Syrah ($55)

56. McKinley Springs 2007 Viognier ($14)

57. Merry Cellars 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($14)

58. Trust 2008 Riesling ($16)

59. Nefarious Cellars 2008 Stone's Throw Vineyard Riesling ($18)

60. Gamache Vintners 2007 Estate Riesling ($18)

61. Gordon Brothers 2006 Syrah ($20)

62. Alexandria Nicole 2008 Crawford Viognier ($20)

63. Baer 2008 Shard ($21)

64. Waterbrook 2007 Reserve Syrah ($22)

65. Efesté 2006 Final-Final Cabernet-Syrah ($25)

66. Soos Creek 2006 Artist Series #7 Red Wine ($28)

67. Andrew Rich 2007 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Roussanne ($28)

68. Olsen Estates 2007 Chardonnay ($28)

69. Basel Cellars 2006 Pheasant Run Vineyard Estate Merlot ($28)

70. Otis Kenyon 2006 Merlot ($30)

71. Tranche 2005 Chardonnay ($30)

72. Tulpen Cellars 2005 Merlot ($30)

73. Coeur d'Alene Cellars 2006 Boushey Vineyard Syrah ($36)

74. GLM 2005 Deluge Red ($40)

75. Forgeron 2004 Klipsun Vineyard Merlot ($46)

76. AlmaTerra 2006 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Syrah ($50)

77. Reynvaan Family Vineyards 2007 The Contender Syrah ($55)

78. Col Solare 2006 Red Table Wine ($70)

79. Snoqualmie 2008 Naked Riesling ($12)

80. Hedges Family Estate 2008 C.M.S. White/Sauvignon Blanc ($14)

81. Airfield Estates 2008 Riesling ($14)

82. Columbia Crest 2007 H3 Les Chevaux Red ($15)

83. Thurston Wolfe 2008 PGV ($16)

84. Woodinville Wine Cellars 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($18)

85. SuLei Cellars 2007 Beet Red ($19)

86. Three Angels 2007 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Primitivo ($20)

87. Seven Hills 2007 Merlot ($22)

88. Cadaretta 2008 Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon ($23)

89. Milbrandt Vineyards 2006 The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon ($25)

90. Isenhower 2006 River Beauty Syrah ($26)

91. Trio Vintners 2006 Morrison Lane Vineyard Sangiovese Riserva ($26)

92. Lullaby 2007 Viognier ($28)

93. Stephenson Cellars 2006 Syrah ($30)

94. Zerba Cellars 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30)

95. Hard Row to Hoe 2006 Cabernet Franc ($32)

96. àMaurice 2006 Malbec ($34)

97. Nota Bene 2006 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red ($35)

98. Tertulia Cellars 2006 Malbec ($35)

99. Va Piano 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($48)

100. Bergevin Lane 2006 Intuition Reserve Red Wine ($55)

Note: Missing from this list in 2009 were some big names from previous years. This should not be taken as criticism; it is mostly a function of their release dates and my deadlines. Some new releases came out after presstime.