Recommended wines of 2008 Q4

Here is my not so regular quarterly update of current favorites.

Reds:

1. Layer Cake 2006 Primitivo $13-16: a delicious, lush, fruity zinfandel with some interesting side notes of spice and wood ..I get cedar, others get something I can't remember. It goes down very easily. It is hard to find now (Nov 2008) but was available at some Costcos, BevMo and wine stores. I've never had a bad bottle, though it hasn't always lived up to my growing expectations. Needs to be warm to open up. Probably my red of the year. I've bought 15 bottles of this over time. My scores: 90-94 (different bottles).
2. Montes 2006 Syrah Alpha $16, WS 91: I initially recommended this based on one bottle, which is a bit exuberant but it had one of the nicest aromas I've smelled in a long time. I've now had 3 bottles and this is a fantastic wine. Very fragrant with a complex nose of red and dark fruit, spices and sandalwood. The flavor intensity doesn't always quite live up to the smell, but that's not a knock. Very balanced and flavorful with some acidity in a medium body with a long finish. Just a knock out. This is slightly better than the 2005 (WS 92), which was one of my top 5 wines of 2007. I have now purchased 14 bottles of this. A good candiate for my wine of the year. My score: 92-94.
3. Jim Barry 2005 Lodge Hill Shiraz $14, WS 90. A burst of fresh berries with a nice raciness (acidity) to balance it. Some wood and a hint of spice. Hard not to like this. My score: 90.
4. Montes 2006 Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon $17 (CC, and more), WS 88, WA 90. My favorite cab of the year. I just tried a second bottle to confirm. Big classy cab fruit with oak and spice and vanilla. Smooth. Drink now. My score: 91-92.
   
5. Pope Valley 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon $8 (TJ). One of the purest expressions of fresh berries in a wine I've had. Similar to the Jim Barry Lodge Hill but with more fruit and less wood. Hard to find as this sells out quickly. My score: 90.
6. Concha Y Toro 2006 Carmenere $8 (TJ): The WS 88 rating got me into this fruity red with big notes of toffee and coffee and chocolate. Oh how I wish I had gotten more. Not the most complex wine, but quite yummy. My score: 90.
7. Marquis Philips 2005 and 2007 Syrah ($12, CC): I read some previous tasting notes of mine of the 2005 Syrah where I was blown away, and found another bottle of the 2005. I was blow away again with its plum with raisiny hints (not normally such a good thing) with vanillla in a very ripe rich body. Very well done. Not especially complex, but just yummy. I then found the just released 2007's at Costco. Not as good as the 2005 as it is a bit more restrained. Perhaps it could use a bit of bottle age. My score: 92 (2005) and 90 (2007).
   

Whites:

1. Columbia Crest 2006 Chardonnay Grand Estates: I know this is predictable, as it is my favorite white of the year, largely year in and year out. The 2006 is fruitier than in the past with sweet pear and apple and not quite so over the top with oaky buttery notes. Also a WS 90 points and only $8 at Trader Joes; production at 60,000+ cases. What's not to like? The 2007's have just come in, so I'm scrounging through the bins for the 2006's. I've easily bought 15 bottles of this over the year. My score: 91.
   
2. Kali Heart 2006 Chardonnay $9: an over the top, thick, sweet, almost honeyed chardonnay. My wife loves this more than me. I like this wine warm, almost room temp, else I can get a slightly off tastes of moldy cork. My score: 90
   
3. Crios 2007/20008 Torrontes $13- the 2007 was very refreshing with fruit and some gentle acidity. Easy to go down. The 2008 which is available now is a bit softer, missing some of the acidity, with floral and citrus hints. My score: 2007 = 90-91; 2008 = 89.
   
4. A Spanish Albarino of winery unknown (I could look at pictures, but that would be work) with a green label and big orange type. $12. Very fruity and refresing and goes down easy. This wine introduced me to the albarino and I was impressed. My score: 90.