The Best 50 -- For Wines, It Was A Very Good Year

It was a piece of cake this year selecting the 50 best wine values.

Normally it can be a head-scratching, agonizing project. But things this year were different, and the reason is simple: 1990 saw an excess of wine worldwide. Record harvests occurred in most major wine-producing regions the past few years, particularly in Chile and Australia and some Third World countries. The result is those tanks and barrels in wineries are fairly bursting at the seams with wine. Good wine, too.

Wines from recent vintages, primarily 1987, '88 and '89, are coming onto the market. That's where you'll find your best bargains.

Many of the good values are from areas unknown on the market a few years ago. Never has South America (in particular Chile) shown so strongly. But Australia made a major showing, too.

``There have been some good harvests,'' says Peter Click, a Seattle-based importer of mostly Australian wines, ``and it has resulted in a surplus. Everybody got into the wine business a few years ago and now we have a situation of supply and demand. There's a lot of raw product at very good prices.''

Jack Sowle agrees. ``I've never seen such an abundance of wines,'' says Sowle, fine-wine sales manager for Sid Eland, a local wine distributor. ``It's not only big harvests everywhere, but in an age of fax machines and better communication, smaller wineries anywhere in the world can quickly set up distribution. They don't even need the middle man anymore; it's between the supplier and the distributor.''

You'll find some old favorites this year. But you're also going to learn about some new discoveries.

I have attempted to list only regular prices, as specials are temporary and readers often are disappointed to find the price hiked a month later. But several, including the little $3 French red called Jean Cordier, were just too good to pass up. I have indicated the temporary price reductions.

Got your shopping list at the ready? Here's the best for 1990:

WHITES

Le Sable 1988 Chardonnay, $4: It's hardly news that this wine from Yugoslavia made the list again. But it is news that the popular choice now comes in magnums for $7.50. The '88 vintage is the best yet.

Reserve Cellars of Ernest & Julio Gallo 1988 Sauvignon Blanc, $4: Where can you beat this price for a nicely made sauvignon blanc? Gallo long has made a very fine sauvignon blanc that is flavorful, fruity and terrific with seafood.

Washington Hills 1989 Fume Blanc, $4.49 for a liter: Washington Hills continues its phenomenal success with this great, fruity and stylish fume blanc (sauvignon blanc). It was made by Brian Carter, one of our state's top winemakers. A silver-medal winner at this year's Enological Society judging.

Chateau Ste. Jean 1988 Vin Blanc, $5: Like to put the prestigious Chateau St. Jean on your table without spending an arm and a leg? Here's how: Just buy this budget blend of chenin blanc, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. It is dry, has some good flavors and is described by the winery as ``the best of their leftovers.'' Beat that.

Kiona 1989 Dry White Riesling, $5: We haven't many rieslings on the list this year, although there certainly are plenty out there in the ``riesling wars.'' This one caught our attention for its pleasing peachy aromas and spicy fruit. And it's really dry! Here's a riesling for non-riesling drinkers. (Price lasts through Christmas.)

Moreau Blanc, $5: Moreau, of course, is one of the great houses of Chablis. This is its simple, generic and nonvintage blend that is always crisp, dry and well worth the price. Look for the rouge (red) version as well at the same great price.

Riverside Farm 1988 Fume Blanc, $5: This brand is a second label for the old-time Sonoma family winery, Foppiano, and offers good values. This wine has a floral aroma, good fruit and a fresh, clean taste with slightly smoky undertones. It's an outstanding version at a good price ($8.50 for a magnum).

Neuharth Dungeness White, $5.25: Wine for your crab? Possibly. It's mostly made from johannisberg riesling, a variety known to complement fresh crab. But it's also an all-around, pleasant drinking white from Sequim's Neuharth winery (Dungeness Spit is nearby and thus the name). There's a red, too, made from the lemberger grape. Wine for your Limburger cheese?

Dove Canyon Brut, $5.50: Here's another Northwest sparkler made from riesling that has caught on for its quality and decent price. There's a touch of sweetness that makes it very palatable and a good candidate for those wedding and anniversary receptions. This snappy little bubbly won a gold medal this year at the Enological Society judging.

Babcock 1988 Johannisberg Riesling, $6: I know a certain Seattle wine shop that advertised this California wine as the ``best riesling around,'' sheer heresy in the Northwest. How dare he? Well, taste it. There are better-priced ones around, but few match it for fruit and balance of acid.

Columbia 1988 Semillon, $6: Slightly grassy (for those who like that style), this is amazingly well-made, with firm structure and slightly citrus undertones. It's blended with about 12 percent sauvignon. A good food wine, particularly with shellfish.

Columbia Crest 1989 Semillon-Chardonnay, $6: Borrowing an idea from the Australians, Doug Gore, Columbia Crest winemaker, put together this blend of 70 percent semillon and 30 percent chardonnay. Brisk, fresh and fruity, the wine should be a signal for other Washington winemakers.

Crystal Peak Brut, $6: This is becoming one of the Northwest's most popular budget sparklers because of its low price and high quality. It's all riesling and rested on the yeast for six weeks. There's a touch of sweetness, but it is an all-around cleanly made sparkler.

Grandin Brut, $6 some places: This sparkling French wine was introduced here about a year ago and remains a good value when it is on special (which it is now). It is from the Loire Valley, made mostly with chenin blanc and is very clean, dry and brisk. It is bottle fermented in the classic method.

Hogue Cellars 1989 Dry Johannisberg Riesling, $6: In the current rage over dry rieslings, this generally comes out on top in tastings for its spicy aromas with flavorful hints of orange and apricot. It won a silver (the top award in its category) in this year's Enological Society judging.

Lindeman's Bin 65 1989 Chardonnay, $6: If sales figures are any indication, this wine is not news to you. But if you been on Mars the past year, it's time to catch up on everybody's favorite budget chardonnay from Australia. Typically, it has lots of tropical fruit but with smooth hints of butter and oak. How do those Aussies do it?

Round Hill House 1988 Chardonnay, $6: Another perennial on this list, this comes from a winery with no vineyards and little overhead. The money goes to buying good fruit from throughout California and producing a chardonnay that is fresh, crisp and quaffable for a decent price. Make it your house white.

Saddle Mountain 1989 Fume Blanc, $6: If there's still some of this left, it may have been one of the bargains of 1990. The price listed here is the max; it's often priced at about $4 and is a real steal for its intense fruit remindful of melon and grapefruit. Clean, rich finish.

Snoqualmie 1989 Dry Chenin Blanc, $6: We gave this the ultimate test by serving it with oysters. It passed! It is full flavored, yet clean and dry with a lasting finish. With this vintage, Snoqualmie has decided to make only dry chenin blancs.

Ste. Chapelle 1988 Canyon Chardonnay, $6: Back again, this perennial ``best value'' is, in fact, better than ever. Winemaker Mimi Mook had trouble separating lots of wine (they were all good from that vintage) between this budget version and the more expensive bottling. We consumers are the winners here.

Bolla 1989 Chardonnay, $6.50: Bolla, one of Italy's best-selling wines, mostly because of its popular soave, surprised everyone in recent years by changing course and coming out with a chardonnay that was among the best out of Italy. It has nice fruit, freshness on the palate and a crisp finish. Made in the Italian tradition, it has no oak.

Clos Du Val Le Clos White, $6.50: Bernard Portet, the great Napa Valley winemaker, calls this a ``happy mix'' of two wines (semillon and chardonnay) and various winemaking techniques. Whatever, it's a fresh, tasty white just tailormade for Northwest seafood and cuisine.

Bogle 1989 Chardonnay, $7 for a liter: Featured in a liter bottling with a colorful painting of pheasants on the label, Bogle's latest chardonnay starts with a bouquet of spice and apple and moves to a flavorful and full-bodied wine for the money. It was blended with some semillon, apparently the latest trend in winedom.

Black Marlin White, $7: This Australian white wins my vote for being one of the most stunning bottlings of the year. The label is silk-screened onto the glass and shows a marlin rising out of the water. Inside the bottle is a flavorful blend of semillon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. A real winner.

Domaine Ste. George 1989 Chardonnay, $7: Despite the fact that this winery foisted off on us a blush chardonnay earlier this year (and received hate mail because of it), it makes an exceptional chardonnay. Look for the Domaine St. George cabernet Sauvignon as well.

Hoodsport 1988 Gewurztraminer, $7: The little Hood Canal winery tends to get overlooked now and then by those crass wine writers (who, me?). But this past year it has picked up many awards, including a bronze for this gewurztraminer in the recent Enological Society judging. I like it for its spicy grapefruit quality and perfect balance.

Quinta do Cardo 1988 White, $7: Made from the rather obscure siria grape in Portugal, this was one of my happiest discoveries this year. Some say the grape is a cousin of the gewurztraminer as it does have a similar spicy style of fruit. Yet it is dry, very fresh with a clean, crisp finish. Great seafood wine.

Waterbrook 1988 Chardonnay, $8: Waterbrook, Walla Walla County, really took off this year, winning major awards. This is fresh, brimming with fruit and nicely balanced.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, $9: The hot new sparkler of the year. This is Ste. Michelle's long-awaited, lower-priced brut that is made more in the Loire Valley style. It's a blend of chardonnay, chenin blanc and semillon. Not as richly styled as its vintage sparklers, but fresh, lively and refreshing.

M.G. Vallejo 1989 Fume Blanc, $9.80 for a magnum: Made by Glen Ellen in Sonoma County and named for General Vallejo, the early California governor general, this whole line of wines is an exceptional value. The fume is unpretentious with nice varietal flavors and hints of melon. Good with Northwest shellfish.

REDS

Jean Cordier nonvintage red, $3: This takes the prize as the least expensive red for the year. OK, so it's light and nonvintage. But the soft fruit makes for a mellow wine for simple meals. It's what is called a ZIP-code wine, no appellation or origin, just an address somewhere in France. Who can argue? This price is good only through December.

Walnut Crest 1988 Merlot Rapel, $4: Despite the very California-type name, this deep-hued red comes from Chile and is one of the best values to come out of South America. Very intense with rich berry flavors and soft tannins.

Carta Vieja 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon, $5: Never heard of this one? Gotcha. It's new on the market, and it's bound to take off. Made in Chile's southernmost wine district, where it's cooler and more conducive to growing grapes, this red is fragrant with a black-cherry bouquet and follows through with good, rich fruit.

Linatti 1988 Chianti, $5: What? A Chianti for five bucks? You bet. It's light, but has a fragrant bouquet, clean fruit, good texture and is balanced. Go figure.

Santa Rita 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon ``120,'' $5: This is one of Chile's largest wineries, producing wine not only from its own vineyards but also from those of others. Nicely balanced with intense fruit flavors and spice. The ``120'' represents the 120 heroes of Chilean independence who took shelter in the wine cellars of Santa Rita.

Underraga 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, $5: One of the best values to come along this year, this Chilean red brims with flavors of plum and blackberry and is about as smooth as a baby's you-know-what. No oak, just gobs of fruit.

Bel Arbors nonvintage Cabernet Sauvignon, $5.50: Bel Arbors (Fetzer's second label) consistently offers great values. And they've gotten even better since the California winery started buying most of its grapes for this brand from Washington. Drinkable now, but enough fruit and structure to last awhile.

Frescobaldi 1988 Chianti, $5.50: Italy's Tuscany region had a great growing season in '88 and this supple, fruity chianti is worthy testimony. It was made for immediately drinking with your pasta or pizza.

Swan Cellars 1988 Pinot Noir, $5.50: Remember the old ``black beauty'' pinot noir from Sebastiani? This is it under Sebastiani's newest label. It's a steal for the velvety richness and smooth finish.

Hedges 1989 Cabernet/Merlot, $5.95: From Tom Hedges, who exports Northwest wine to Sweden, this surprised everyone this year by winning a gold medal at the Enological Society's judging. It's a real gem and made by Brian Carter.

Sebastiani 1986 Zinfandel, $6: Leave it to Sebastiani to come up with a truly good value in a soft, fruity and very drinkable zinfandel. A little aging in oak and some smooth tannins make this wine very ``user friendly.''

Seghesio 1987 Zinfandel, $6: An old-fashioned country-style zinfandel with plenty of raspberry flavors and structured with good acid and tannins. More than just a spaghetti wine, it goes with grilled meats, lamb or other rich meals.

Bodegas Montecillo 1986 Cumbrero Red, $6.50: This wine, an oldtime favorite, has always been amazing not only for its obvious quality but the fact that it is from Rioja (Spain's top red wine district). Made from some of Spain's best red wine grapes (mostly tempranillo), it has been aged in American oak.

Cousino Macul 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon, $6.50: Another winner from Chile, this rich, berry-flavored red is robust enough for hearty meals, yet has a certain elegance in the style. Considered one of Chile's premier wine producers.

Montevina 1987 Zinfandel, $6.50: From Amador County in California, where zinfandel really flourishes, comes this lively red with intriguing berry and spice in the flavor. Ten months of aging in American oak has given it a texture of cedar and a lingering finish.

Annalisa 1982 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $7: Imagine paying $7 for an 8-year-old, reserve cabernet. It's from Chile (which explains a lot) and it's mature with ripe, balanced fruit and depth of flavor. You can find the winery's regular cabernet (from the '86 vintage) for $6, but the added cost for the reserve is worth every penny.

Corbett Canyon Pinot Noir, $7 for 1 liter: A real buy in pinot noir, just when the variety seems to cost more all the time. This is light in body but very fruity, with peppery undertones and a long, smooth finish.

Jacob's Creek (Orlando) 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon, $7: From Southeastern Australia comes this smooth-textured red that's all fruit and spice and lingers nicely in the mouth. Very drinkable right now.

Marietta Old Vine Red, $7: Here's a wine that you almost have to love for its name. Fortunately, it's no gimmick. The red, actually made from the grapes of a 60-year-old vineyard in Sonoma County, long has been a good value for its flavorful, spicy style. It's almost remindful of a rich Rhone-type wine. Bring out the red-sauce pasta.

Marion 1988 Pinot Noir, $7: This marks something of a re-introduction for Marion on the market - new wines, re-designed labels and a much higher profile. The pinot, sporting a bright red flower on the label, is outstanding, much of it harvested from the famed Robert Young Vineyard in Sonoma County.