Behind the scenes of Sunset's Western Wine Awards 2007: Meet the judges, find out how we chose, and see the entire list of nominated wines

The number of great wines produced in the West just keeps growing.

This spring, Washington State licensed its 500th winery. That's up from 155 in 2000, and 64 in 1990. It's a curve that echoes earlier, similar growth in California's older wine regions; newer places like Paso Robles still report runaway stats.

The wine folks in Oregon, for their part, are busy figuring out how to divide the fruitful but unwieldy Willamette Valley into smaller appellations that would tell us more about their respective, distinctive wines. And states beyond the coast (such as Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Idaho) are approaching a quality of winemaking that demands attention.

We have the pleasure — with the help of a distinguished panel of judges — of sorting through this remarkable wine action every year to find the newest best regions, tasting rooms — and wines.

Last year, we predicted that Syrah might be the next big red. This year, three won in our tasting. In June, we reported on the Riesling renaissance we're seeing in the West. Sure enough, more Rieslings than ever were nominated for awards.

WINE OF THE YEAR

RED
Behrens [SPECIAL_CHAR {38}] Hitchcock Kenefick Ranch Cuv[SPECIAL_CHAR {233}]e Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Napa Valley; $75)
With only about 15 years of winemaking under its belt in Napa (about 8 in its Spring Mountain winery), the Behrens & Hitchcock team has produced a Cab that beautifully balances ripe fruit with great structure and soft tannins through a long, long finish. This might be one of the best "cult wine" deals around.

Rob D. Brodman
San Francisco wine adventurers at Cav Wine Bar & Kitchen

STEAL ([DOLLAR {15}] AND UNDER)
[I {People's Choice Award}]

RED
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Sonoma County; $15)
A classic Cab nose of cassis, dark plums, and a little minty chocolate is followed by juicy plums and berries. Winemaker Mike Martini — grandson of pioneering Louis — advises aging it in the backseat of the car on the way home from the store.

WHITE
Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (California; $12)
The prototype for classic California Sauvignon Blanc: a whole gamut of fresh-squeezed citrus, from lemon-lime to grapefruit, with a crisp, herbal edge and tiny touch of gooseberry.

	Read about past Wine Awards • The West's best wines • Our 2006 Wine Awards

RED
Truchard Syrah 2003 (Carneros; $28)
A meaty Syrah, with rich, dark berries set off by smoke and pepper.

WHITE
Charles Krug[SPECIAL_CHAR {150}]Peter Mondavi Family Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Napa Valley; $18)
Bright and fresh, as a California Sauvignon Blanc should be. Grapefruit and Key lime carry the palate, but passion fruit, herbal pea-shoot flavors, and hints of olive add interest.

SPECIAL OCCASION (BETWEEN [DOLLAR {30}] AND [DOLLAR {50}])

RED
PlumpJack Syrah 2005 (Napa Valley; $40)
Dark, smoky aromas with a little licorice, espresso, and intense blackberries. This Syrah has a great balance of acidity for a long, lively finish.

WHITE
Talley Rincon Vineyard Chardonnay 2005 (Arroyo Grande Valley; $40)
Rich, toasty apple-pie aromas are followed by fresh lemon-custard flavors spiked with minerals and lemon zest on a long finish.

DEEP POCKET (OVER [DOLLAR {50}])

RED
Sequel Syrah 2004 (Columbia Valley; $55)
A rich but finely balanced Syrah. Spicy blueberry and herb flavors follow a smoky, leathery nose with hints of vanilla, mocha, and sweet pipe tobacco.

WHITE
HdV Chardonnay 2004 (Carneros; $55)
Intense layers of lemon and pear and edgy, pleasantly bitter herb and orange-zest flavors belie the nose full of butterscotch and golden apples on this complex Chardonnay.

UP-AND-COMING WINE REGION

Julia Kuskin
Winemaker of the Year Bob Betz in Redmond, WA

Bob Betz, Mw, [XLINK "http://www.betzfamilywinery.com" "Betz Family Winery, Redmond, WA " "" "_new"]
Catch Bob Betz describing the gentle gravity-flow treatment he gives grapes in his new facility or the intense fruit and structure that eastern Washington's vineyards yield, and you get the knowledge of an academic propelled by the passion of an artisan. One of only 257 people in the world (24 in this country) who hold the insanely rigorous Master of Wine degree, Betz helped establish the quality that put Washington on the map, in a 28-year career with what's now Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, one of the best behemoth wine companies in the world. These days, at his family winery, Betz's hands are quite literally in the must: Since his wine press deliberately lacks computer controls, he has to decide when he's extracted enough fermented juice from the grape skins and seeds. Betz's "Père de Famille" Cab — nominated for our awards this year — tells all. INFO: 425/861-9823.

THE GREEN AWARD

Susan Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser Winery, Willamette Valley, OR
President and founder Susan Sokol Blosser has pioneered green winegrowing and making in a state that is itself in front of the movement in the industry. Just west of Dundee, Sokol Blosser Winery farms organically and uses 50 percent biodiesel fuel in its tractors and unbleached paper for labels and wine boxes. Go to the Sokol Blosser website and you can track the energy output from the winery's new solar panels in real time, as well as see how many pounds of carbon dioxide it has saved the environment this year. INFO: Tour $10, tasting fee from $5; 5000 Sokol Blosser Lane, Dundee, OR; 800/582-6668.

BEST WINE BAR

Cav Wine Bar [SPECIAL_CHAR {38}] Kitchen, San Francisco
The wine list in this narrow space just up Market Street from Zuni Café draws from wildly eclectic regions, from Central to Eastern Europe, South America to New York. But it's not all expensive.

A fair number of bottles are listed at less than $40. Cav's "Kitchen" is a vital partner to the "Wine Bar," with a seasonal menu geared toward nibbling (housemade charcuterie, shots of soup), small-plate sharing (squash blossoms stuffed with zucchini mousse on a tangy mélange of olives and eggplant), or full-on dining (steak on warm lentil and frisée salad). Don't skip the cheese; it's as global a collection as the wines. INFO: $$; closed Sun; 1666 Market St.; 415/437-1770.

Sokol Blosser Winery's very green, wildflower-topped barrel cellar

Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA
The wines are grown organically and there are nibbles at hand in Robert Sinskey Vineyards' warm tasting room. You're in a tall, central redwood nave growing out of low stone walls surrounded by a kitchen garden — an earth cathedral of sorts. And that garden is important: It's the location of culinary tours and source of food-and-wine pairings prepared in the vineyard kitchen tucked in a corner of the tasting room — both of which you can make reservations for. In a region where Cab is king, Robert Sinskey pours beautifully crafted Pinot Noirs and aromatic whites (try the "Abraxas" blend of Alsatian grapes). INFO: Tasting fee from $20; 6320 Silverado Trail, Napa; 800/869-2030.

WINE TREND OF THE YEAR

The Rise of Riesling
Remembered by many of us as a syrupy starter drink in the 1970s and '80s, Riesling is finally getting the respect it deserves. Sales grew 72 percent between 2003 and 2006, growers can hardly keep up with demand for the grapes, and sommeliers are loading up their restaurant lists, because there's not a more food-friendly wine in the world. The Rieslings from a growing number of Western winemakers are drier than before, rivaling those of Germany, Austria, and Alsace, France. From bone-dry to barely off-dry, they're crisp with good acidity but richly textured, with delicate green apple, white peach, and lime flavors or riper apricot, nectarine, and mandarin, along with a pleasant minerality. Read "Food we love with Riesling" for our favorites, plus pairings.