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Each year about this time, I look back and review the wines tasted the previous year and marvel that each year the wines seem to get better and better. Last year was no exception. In fact, because of my association with Wine Press Northwest magazine published by this newspaper [Tri-City Herald], I'm able to taste an even greater array of Northwest wines.

Some are still available in stores, and others are probably tucked away in a few readers' wine cellars.

My favorites in no particular order are:

Sorensen Cellars 1998 cabernet sauvignon, Washington - A small new Port Townsend winery. It's an outstanding first try. Rich, mouth-filling cherries and cedar wood with lots of pleasing tannins. Suggested price: $22.50.

Cayuse Vineyards 1998 Cobblestone Vineyard syrah, Walla Walla Valley - One of the best syrahs I've tasted. Very dark with flavors of black cherries, black olives a bit of licorice and cedar. It's smooth and delicious. Suggested price: $32.

Chinook Winery 1999 cabernet franc rosé, Yakima Valley - A perfect summer wine, bone dry with a lovely color and a refreshing, crisp taste showing off strawberries and rhubarb. Great for cold chicken or roast pork. Suggested price: $13.

Domaine Ste. Michelle non-vintage blanc de noir, Columbia Valley - Fresh fruity, berry flavors, a good, crisp finish with lots of festive bubbles. What makes this sparkling wine distinctive is its color, a sort of rose, dark pink or cranberry and the clear bottle. Suggested price: $9-$10.

Hyatt 1997 cabernet sauvignon, Yakima Valley - Dark, rich color with flavors of chocolate and cherries. Loaded with fruit, rich and complex with a chalky Bordeaux finish. An outstanding wine. Suggested price: $20.

Snoqualmie 1998 semillon blanc, Columbia Valley - An old favorite that used to be made by sister winery Chateau Ste. Michelle, offers a hint of sweetness to make this a great introduction wine for those who dislike dry. There are nice floral aromas and a pleasing farewell. Suggested price: $7

Woodward Canyon 1997 Old Vines cabernet sauvignon, Columbia Valley - A big, rich wine just starting to strut its stuff. Heavy chocolate along with dark blackberries and currant flavors marry well with wonderful French and American oak aromas. Suggested price: $40.

Hogue 1998 Vineyard Selection syrah, Columbia Valley - Winning a rare double gold at the Yakima judging, the syrah shows ripe plums and a jammy consistency with intense flavors and balance. It has a spicy bouquet with a background of violets. The wine includes 23 percent lemberger to add fruitiness. Suggested price: $16.

Hogue 1999 Johannisberg riesling, Columbia Valley - A gold medal winner at The Dallas Morning News competition. The wine has lovely aromas of apricots with flavors of citrus and kiwi along with a spicy cinnamon complexity in the nose. It's crisp with 1.7 percent residual sugar. Suggested price: $6.99, but can be found for $5.

Columbia Crest 1998 Estate Bottled chardonnay, Columbia Valley - Nice job of marrying fruit and oak showing off banana, pineapple and butterscotch flavors. Suggested price: $10.

King Estate 1998 pinot gris, Oregon - This variety is quickly becoming Oregon's favorite white wine. Inviting aromas of melons, peaches and figs, flavorful and delicious. Suggested price: $14.

Barnard Griffin 1998 merlot, Columbia Valley - Dark cherries, a touch of tar and a finish of chocolate. This merlot is loaded with fruit and great tannins. Suggested price: $16-$17.

Cascade Cliffs 1998 barbera, Columbia Valley - This Italian-style wine is delicious, unpretentious with rich chocolate and berry flavors and received rave reviews by Portland's Tony Heathman's Hotel. It is an easy-drinking, delightful wine. Suggested price: $28.

Dunham Cellar 1998 cabernet sauvignon, Columbia Valley - A very young but delicious cabernet with bright cherry fruit, essences of cedar, Java pepper, ripe plums and smooth tannins. Suggested price: $45.

Jackson-Triggs Vintners 1999 pinot blanc, Okanagan Valley - Best of show offering delicious and complex flavors of lemon and tropical fruit with a right-on crispness for a perfect match with seafoods. Suggested price: $10.

Jackson-Triggs Vintners 1999 riesling ice wine, Okanagan Valley - Incredible sweet favors of oranges and fruit. An apple crémé bruleé. Residual sugar 25.4 percent. Suggested price: $42.

Kiona Vineyards 1999 lemberger, Washington - The oldest maker of this variety is still the best maker. Rich berry fruit and meat flavors with a lingering complex aftertaste. Suggested price: $10.

Willamette Valley Vineyards 1999 pinot gris, Oregon - Good fruit and aroma, touch of juniper berry, rich and flavorful. Suggested price: $10.

Snoqualmie 1997 reserve cabernet sauvignon, Columbia Valley - Soft and supple with big flavors including rich chocolate and berries. A silky finish with a lingering aftertaste adds to the enjoyment. Suggested price: $24.

L'Ecole No. 41 1997 cabernet sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley - Pleasing from start to finish with nice, spicy aromas and jam and cola flavors. Lots of complex fruit characteristics with vanilla from the oak. Suggested price: $38.

Barnard Griffin 1999 riesling, Columbia Valley - Apples, peaches, lots of clean, long-lasting flavors and a crisp finish makes this well-crafted wine worth buying. Residual sugar 2 percent. Suggested price: $7.50.

Canoe Ridge Vineyard 1998 Oak Ridge Vineyard gewürztraminer, Washington - Made in the classic German style with great spiciness and honey and grapefruit flavors. The balance is right on. Grapes come from the Columbia Gorge near Husum above White Salmon. Suggested price: $12.50.

Archery Summit 1998 Red Hills Vineyard pinot noir, Oregon - Big and fruity with flavors of blackberries and raspberries. Toasty oak with bits of spice and licorice. A complex wine that shows the best of a heralded vintage. Suggested price: $65.

Tamarack Cellars 1998 merlot, Columbia Valley - An outstanding example of a merlot loaded with character, including bittersweet chocolate, leather, tobacco and coffee along with layers of berry fruit. Suggested price: $28.

Hyatt 1999 black muscat, Yakima Valley - An interesting blush wine showing nice cranberry flavors with citrus and even peach overtones. An outstanding example of a blush wine from a little-used grape variety. Great with turkey and the trimmings. Suggested price: $6-$7.

Hood River 1996 zinfandel port, Oregon - Inviting aromas, great berry flavors along with chocolate, spice, licorice and raisins. This is a delicious drink. Suggested price: $26.

Bob Woehler has been writing about grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly in the Tri-City Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash. and in Wine Press Northwest.

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