Like the rest of Washington state, The Emerald City has become more burgundy since the last time Wine Press Northwest published a visitor's guide to Seattle. In 2000, there were only a handful of wineries and wine bars that made their home in this Puget Sound city, and those local businesses often had trouble thriving.

This year marked our ninth annual Platinum Judging, in which we attempt to identify some of the best of the best in the Great Northwest. By far, this was our largest judging, as we received 329 entries in this by-invitation-only competition. This surpassed last year's record number of 259.

Winemakers recited several sports metaphors in describing the 2008 harvest in the Pacific Northwest.

One restaurant in the Northwest seems nearly bulletproof in the face of the recession.

Pacific Pinot Noir, by John Winthrop Haeger, University of California Press, 2008, $22

PlatyPreserve offers the latest approach to preserving an opened bottle of wine. While not elegant, it might be the simplest. And it's quite effective.

Bargain Bob is always willing to go that extra mile to find cheap but good wines. This time, he's in Prosser, Wash.

These truly are troubled times on both sides of the 49th Parallel, but even during Prohibition and the Great Depression, folks in United States still found the means to enjoy wine.

One of the blessings of this time of year is the chance it gives me to connect with you, my friends and family. I wish I could call you all personally, but really, who has that kind of time. I am so excited to tell you about my amazing life and all the wonderful things that have happened.

Why do winemakers use oak barrels to age wine? And why is oak the preferred wood?

Oh come all ye faithful foodies and wine lovers as we create a festive holiday feast befitting our region's wintertime bounty. We'll begin with a lush cheese-and-Dungeness-crab appetizer, segue to a sumptuous butternut squash bisque, move to red wine with fish for dinner and conclude with chocolate and Port.

So the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition passed on Dec. 5 without a great deal of fanfare. No bells ringing, no parties with revelers toasting each other with Champagne, no page-one headline stories.

As the editor of a wine magazine, I receive a lot of invitations for events. Because we're based in Washington's Columbia Valley - more than 200 miles from either Seattle or Portland - I rarely put in an appearance since most events are held where the population lives.

Columbia Crest's Walter Clore Private Reserve is one of those wines that's richly made yet is a veritable bargain for such a classic Bordeaux-style blend.