Many factors determine which ones make these lists. I want to steer you to wines that offer unusual value, exceptional flavors, something above and beyond the standard fare. I try to balance that search for quality with reasonable accessibility. I have listed the importers and/or distributors for the imported wines to help your wine seller find them. Washington wines are often self-distributed. If you can't find them in the wine shop, I suggest you contact the winery directly. In some instances, getting on a winery's mailing list is the only way to obtain its wines.

In general, a change in vintage should not scare you away from trying any of these wines, as long as the producer, grape, vineyard, etc. remain the same. Deadlines being what they are, some of the wines mentioned may have been replaced by a newer vintage. I have enough confidence in the producers listed to think that the new wine will also be very good, though not necessarily exactly the same as the old. The producers listed below have track records for excellence; these are not fluke successes.

The first of this year's three cases is a list of the top 12 Washington white wines I have tasted this year, ranked in order. For this list, price is no object, although it is a consideration. In other words, if I have tasted two wines of equal quality, and one costs $20 and the other costs $50, my vote will go to the lower-priced wine.

The second list covers the top 12 red wines from Washington. Again, ranked in order and price no object. Clearly these are not cheap wines, and some of them may be difficult to obtain. But there are compelling reasons to put together these two lists. The quality in Washington has never been higher. At the same time, there are so many new wineries and producers that it is almost impossible to keep track of them all. If you believe, as I do, that this state is on the verge of major international recognition, I think it's important to acknowledge those producers who are doing the best work.

That said, a case of wine holds just 12 bottles. In both of these lists, there were many excellent candidates for bottle numbers 13 to 24. I eliminated duplication, so no winery appears in a case more than once. I looked for value over and above the actual price. Plenty of expensive Washington wines did not make the lists, or even come close. With a couple of exceptions, the wines shown here are not one-shot wonders. Most come from wineries whose track records are long enough to be meaningful, and whose wines deliver value, even at these prices.

With leaves beginning to turn to fall colors, a rich, purple bunch of lemberger grapes ripens on the vine at Icicle Ridge Winery in Peshastin.

The final case is a selection from the other end of the value spectrum. These wines are widely available and budget-priced, though not the bottom-of-the-barrel two-buck stuff. Finding really good, flavorful wines priced under $10 is the hardest task a wine scribe faces. Thousands of innocuous, generic wines are filling the marketplace. They may be named in some clever way, or have a pretty label, or some other gimmick or perhaps just a big-budget ad campaign, but they are not very interesting.

The wines included here may be a bit quirky, may have some strengths and weaknesses, but they are not boring. They are flavorful. They suggest something specific about the grape or blend, the region or vineyard, the producer or co-op that made them. I hope you will find something to grace your holiday table. Salute!

BEST OF WASHINGTON WHITES

1. J. Bookwalter 2003 Johannisberg Riesling. $12. Watch out Eroica, J. Bookwalter is giving you a run for your money for the best riesling in Washington! This newest release is packed with scents of flowers, citrus blossom, talcum powder and more. Lively and tight, the flavors move through a rainbow of pretty fruits before resolving in a long, slightly honeyed finish.

2. Lost River 2003 Semillon. $14. This new Mazama-based winery makes one sexy semillon, kissed with honey and flowers that embrace a supple core of delicious pear, apple and blood-orange fruits.

3. Fidélitas 2003 Semillon. $15. Yes, here is a second great semillon, this one from winemaker Charlie Hoppes, who owns Fidélitas but consults for a half-dozen other properties. Packed with flavors of plump pear, blood orange, Meyer lemon and Macintosh apple, it puts most chardonnays to shame.

4. Syncline 2003 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc. $18/375. This is something special — 100 percent barrel-fermented, decadently sweet, yet not cloying. Hits you with lively stone fruits, new-mown hay and some high-toned butterscotch and candy.

5. Chateau Ste. Michelle 2003 "Cold Creek Vineyard" Riesling. $14. I very much admire the textures woven through Cold Creek rieslings, which show lip-licking fruit flavors of grapefruit, white peaches and citrus rind. Racy, with a tangy finish.

6. Di Stefano 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. $10. Fresh, creamy, big and bold, helped enormously by the addition of 17 percent semillon. (Are you starting to see a pattern here?) This wine has a lifted spiciness that keeps it food-friendly and not too heavy, despite the high alcohol.

7. Chaleur Estate 2002 Blanc. $29. Think Bordeaux blanc (56 percent sauvignon blanc/44 percent semillon), done in a very rich and toasty style. Spicy, creamy new wood frames lush flavors of ripe citrus, mandarin orange and apricots.

8. Rulo 2003 Viognier. $18. Rulo keeps nailing it with their intense, concentrated perfumed viogniers. Big and balanced, the wine captures the power of the grape without blowing out the elegance, nor ruining it with volatile vapors or high alcohol.

9. Alexandria Nicole 2003 Destiny Ridge Vineyards Viognier. $16. Plump, thick and massively fruity, this unusual viognier is packed with ripe pear, citrus and tropical fruit flavors. There is clearly some residual sugar as well, which keeps the alcohol in check and the wine soft and approachable.

10. Three Rivers 2002 Meritage White Wine. $19. The blend is about ¾ sauvignon blanc to ¼ semillon. Smooth and supple, with sweet, appealing flavors of ripe peaches and mango.

11. JM Cellars 2003 Klipsun Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. $18. Kudos to Klipsun for growing great sauvignon blanc on red wine-oriented Red Mountain. Many winemakers have sought out this fruit, and all seem to come up with something special. This is crisp and pungent with ripe peach, apricot, pear and anise.

12. Harlequin 2002 Chenin Blanc. $16. The argument for making serious chenin blanc could not be better presented than with this thoroughly delicious, round, ripe wine. It captures the varietal mix of peaches, apricots and pears, and adds nice accents of toasty barrel.

BEST OF WASHINGTON REDS

1. Quilceda Creek 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. $80. Insanely aromatic, rich and textured, tight and dense. In classic Quilceda style, it slowly shows layer upon layer of black fruits, mineral, salt and lovely hints of herb. Over and over, Quilceda Creek cabs have proven to be the longest-lived in Washington, if not the entire country.

2. Beresan 2002 Stone River Red Wine. $28. I love this wine, which blew me away the first

Glistening in the sun, oak wine barrels are ready for a sémillon crush at Cave B Estate Winery.

time I tasted it and only got better with the just-released second vintage. It's an unusual blend of 30 percent cabernet sauvignon, 30 percent syrah, 20 percent merlot and 20 percent cab franc, and it mixes syrah's fresh citrus flavors with the sappy merlot and hard-edged cabs. Substantial, well-defined, long, textured and lively.

3. Andrew Will 2002 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Wine. $55. The artistry of Andrew Will's Chris Camarda is clearly in evidence, as he has crafted a beautifully structured, extraordinary blend of 44 percent merlot, 28 percent cab franc, 18 percent cab sauvignon and 10 percent petite verdot. This is precisely cut and sculpted to reveal layer upon layer of citrus peel, plum, wild berry, red currant, spice, mineral and rock. A glorious wine.

4. J. Bookwalter 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. $32. I could not choose between the riesling and the cab, so I'm including J.B. on both lists, because this winery is on a roll. Classic Bordeaux notes here that show lead pencil, cedar and graphite, leading into classic black cherry and cassis. It has the acidity and lean muscularity of Bordeaux, with the pure, clean fruit that marks the best of Washington.

5. Leonetti Cellar 2001 Reserve. $95. Leonetti's Reserve is another take on a classic Bordeaux blend, this one with Walla Walla fruit. Sweet black cherry holds the center, seamlessly wrapped in layers of different flavored chocolates. It's like a romp through a Belgian chocolate shop; long, silky and seductive.

6. Spring Valley Vineyard 2002 Muleskinner Merlot. $35. A spectacular bottle of merlot, this comes from one of Walla Walla's most unique vineyard sites. It's vivid and racy, layered and precise. Mixed in with the red fruits are fresh, delicate herbs and spices, streaks of mineral and hints of cracker. Flavor central!

7. Betz Family Winery 2002 La Serenne Syrah. $41. Betz Family makes two syrahs, both exceptional, but this one, from Boushey vineyard fruit, is so instantly delicious, so irresistibly potent and flavorful, that it gets the nod here. Exotic scents of roasted coffee, smoke, toast, cedar and blackberry jam set this right at the top of Washington's syrahs. Pure, powerful and perfectly proportioned.

8. Matthews 2001 Elerding Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. $60. The Elerding vineyard definitely merits the single-vineyard treatment, and no one does it better than Matt Loso. Here are crisp, tart, tightly focused berry fruits that broaden into a flavor rainbow with black cherry, mineral, black tea and more.

9. Woodward Canyon 2001 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon. $67. Two classic Washington vineyards (Champoux and Sagemoor) provide the old-vine grapes, here elegantly displayed against a background of herb and mineral. Subtle layers of berries, cherries, plums and cassis, lovely hints of rosemary and thyme, sturdy tannins and a lingering, grainy finish all come into play in this classy effort.

10. Dunham 2002 Lewis Vineyard Syrah. $60. Eric Dunham last made a Lewis vineyard designate in 1999, and this is a welcome encore. Vivid, ultra-ripe fruit displays high-altitude flavors that seem to etch the fruit in fierce relief. Bright raspberry, strawberry and cherry flavors mingle in an immensely powerful wine that keeps its poise and balance despite the humongous alcohol.

11. Mark Ryan 2001 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard "Dead Horse" Red Wine. $35. The name is a pun on a pun — Ciel du Cheval, the vineyard, loosely translates as Horse Heaven, the hills that the vineyard faces from its perch on Red Mountain. Pun aside, the wine is a stunning success: inky and thick with black-cherry fruit, smoke and iron; it captures the essence of the vineyard. A very impressive effort.

12. K Vintners 2002 "The Beautiful" Syrah. $30. This was my favorite from a gorgeous lineup of K syrahs. I love the bright floral scents that add layers of complexity and create a wine that is both profound and elegant. The flavors that perfectly mix flowers and fruits, with a lingering, fascinating and unforgettable finish.

GLOBAL VALUE

The goal is to assemble a case of spectacular wine that will cost you $100. Prices quoted may vary slightly, but with a case-purchase discount, this should come in right at the century mark.

• High Altitude 2002 Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon. $9 (Distributor: Unique). You can pay a lot more for Argentine malbec and not find one this good. Perhaps because it's been blended with cabernet, this wine feels complete and powerful, bursting with spice and tight, tart fruit. Berries, currants and cherries highlight the mid-palate, which finishes with new-barrel flavors of cocoa and toast. Clean, elegant and stylish, it shows none of the funky mushroom flavors that often come with inexpensive Argentine reds.

• Georges Duboeuf 2003 Juliénas. $12 (Distributor: Columbia). Don't look now, but any minute we'll be buried under a barge-ful of this year's Beaujolais nouveau. Yeah it's fun stuff, but if you want to taste real Beaujolais, from one of the greatest vintages ever, you'll skip the nouveau stuff and grab yourself a bottle of this fragrant, intensely concentrated Juliénas. This is cru Beaujolais — a village-designated reserve — and here is real wine, not fermented grape juice, powered by sweet berry fruit that fleshes out into a vibrant and persistent finish. Be sure to grab the '03, not any leftover '02. Then, bring on the turkey!

• Arancio 2003 Grillo. $8 (Distributor: Alaska). Arancio, a new line of Sicilian wines, has hit it out of the park with this exciting white wine. Tired of chardonnay? Not a fan of sauvignon blanc? Can't seem to get excited about viognier? Grab some of this great-tasting, crisp and spicy white, which recalls both pinot grigio and riesling, yet surpasses both of them at this price. Cinnamon and pear, hints of orange peel, crisp and non-oaky, this is one to try with the holiday turkey.

• Le Rote 2003 Vernaccia di San Gimignano. $10 (Distributor: Small Vineyards). It seems as if Italy has taken over the global cheap-wine championship, at least this year. Wine after wine, both white and red, comes across with more flavor, more nuance, more structure and overall food-friendly style, than almost anything comparably priced from elsewhere. This is a white wine to savor or gulp as your mood dictates. Crisp, fragrant and exceptionally concentrated for a vernaccia, it lingers deliciously with notes of almond, mineral and light citrus.

• Taurino 1999 Salice Salentino Riserva. $10 (Distributor: Noble). This producer never seems to miss a step or lose an iota of quality. When they say riserva, it means something, and the extra couple of

Rows of stainless-steel fittings used in wine-making hang in the winery at Boudreaux Cellars.

bucks you'll pay are well worth it. Lovely, earthy flavors showcase tart cherry, with nicely nuanced notes of leather, tea and tobacco leaf. It doesn't hurt that '99 was a great year in Italy.

• Promessa 2003 Negroamaro. $9 (Distributor: Columbia). The truly stunning package sets the bar pretty high for this southern Italian red from winemaker Mark Shannon, an Issaquah native who is the hand behind the enormously successful A-Mano wines. This is seductive juice, with intriguing scents of citrus and sandalwood, and spicy flavors that mix bright-red fruits with more high-toned floral notes. Soft, tannic and polished, it's a wonderful discovery. Promessa also makes a terrific rosso salento, which includes 30 percent primitivo in the blend.

• Mad Dogs & Englishmen 2003 Shiraz-Cabernet-Monastrell. $10 (Distributor: Click Wine Group). This hails from Jumilla, a hotbed of luscious new wines from Spain. True to form, it is big, forward, sweet and fleshy, a red blend that nicely melds favors of plum, berry and cherry. It's a ripe wine, from a hot region, yet happily there are no pruney, raisiny notes, just fresh, sweet, supple ripe fruit and a hint of white pepper.

• VF 2002 Lasira Red Wine, Costières de Nimes. $9 (Importer: Vineyard Brands). The new VF line from Beaucastel's Perrin family is off to a great start, first with their delightful VF rosé, and now with this delicious Lasira. The black-and-white package sports a bold VF and a tiny red rooster, easy to spot, but not gimmicky. The blend is three-quarters syrah, one-quarter grenache, and as the label is quick to point out, 0 percent cork (it has a screwcap top). Bright, spicy and showing sharp berry flavors, this fruit- and acid-driven bottling is aimed squarely at a new generation of wine drinkers.

• Domaine de L'Ameillaud 2003 Cotes du Rhone. $10 (Distributor: Riservati). Sweet and ripe, this southern-Rhone gem bursts with the lovely fruit flavors of grenache, here buttressed with a generous helping of syrah and a smidge of carignan and mourvèdre. Lots of intensity and focus, built around dark, grapey fruits; peppery tannins add weight and length.

• Pepi 2003 Sauvignon Blanc. $9 (Distributor: Columbia). This is exactly the sort of wine that should be topped with a screwcap, which it is. You want to drink it young, chilled and possibly outdoors (getting tough this time of year). In any event, it opens with a snap and tastes wonderful, packed with green berries, pea vine and grapefruit. Bone dry and blissfully non-oaked.

• Rex Goliath 2003 Chardonnay. $7 (Distributor: LBV). OK, a 47-pound rooster on the label is definitely a gimmick, but the wine rises above the silly packaging. Central-coast juice makes a smooth, rich but not fat chardonnay, layered with pineapple, pear and citrus, with enough crisp acidity to keep it refreshing and have you quickly reaching for another sip. This is your perfect fettuccini alfredo wine.

• Lindemans 2003 Bin 65 Chardonnay. $8 (Distributor: Noble). There's a reason this wine is a perennial best seller; it gives people the flavors they want in an $8 chardonnay. No one gets more soft, buttery, ripe, round tropical-fruit flavor from chardonnay than the Australians, especially in the budget bottlings. This is like a glass of bananas and cream, smooth and irresistibly tasty.

Paul Gregutt is a free-lance writer who appears on the Wine pages of The Seattle Times' Wednesday Food section. He can be reached via e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com.