As I mentioned last week, 2010 was a pretty great year for this region when it came to winemaking. Overall the industry continued to pull through regardless of economics. The wines got better and offered consumers better bargains. Here is my roundup of bests for the regions wines as Ive experienced them.

Greenest winery: By far, one of my favorite inexpensive red blends is Davenlore. Its Recovery Red is offered in a resealable bottle rather than with a cork. You drink the wine, rinse out the bottle and return it to either the winery or a designated wine shop for a refill. The cost is inexpensive, the bottles get reused and the wine tastes fantastic!

Best red blend: Man! Did I ever drink a lot of red blends this year. This has to be one of the toughest of my decisions for this year, so I might as well get it out of the way right now. Coyote Canyon Winery knocked it out of the park with its Horse Heaven Hills Robert Andrews Red.

Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Once again, a very tough decision, but the Cooper Walla Walla 2007 remains a very strong memory to me this year. Released along with the 2008, and several other vintages at the Cooper grand opening, this one shone. With the help of the ever amazing Charlie Hoppes, Neil Cooper knocked this one out of the park!

Best Pinot Noir: There were a lot of amazing Pinot Noirs to choose from this year. Call it a personal leaning, but out of all the Pinots in the region I really fell in love this year with Sno Roads 2007 Amity Hills Reserve Pinot Noir. Flavors of pomegranate, sage, mint, and violets. Located right here in Echo, youd be best off to buy local.

Best out-of-the-norm varietal: This year brought a lot of strange brews across my lips. Airfield Winery in Prosser released a delicious 100-percent Dolcetto this year. This cherry liquor-flavored wine finishes with a nice mocha.

Best Chardonnay: Once again really tough competition this year for Chardonnay. There were several different finalists for my palate in both the oaked and non-oaked methods. Once again though I would have to say that the oaked won with Mercer Estates 2008 Chardonnay.

Best Riesling: Rick Small from Woodward Canyon is best known for his amazing reds. Little press is given to his fantastic Rieslings. Woodward Canyons 2006 is not dry or sweet, but it packs a punch of floral and fruit accents.

Best Sauvignon Blanc: Canyons Edge winery, located in the Horse Heaven Hills, with tasting rooms in Prosser and Kennewick, offers up a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc filled with flavors of straw, pineapple and apple. This, paired with the skills of its tasting room staff, makes the base to one of the best white sangrias I have ever tasted in my life.

Best Sparkling: I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the wedding for Lisa DenHoed this summer. The DenHoeds supply Pacific Rim Winery. Lisas mom was very gracious to offer me a bottle of the winerys White Flowers Sparkling Riesling. Not only was the wedding memorable, but the next day when I opened the chilled bottle and tasted the cuvee I was impressed beyond comparison.

Of course I could go on for days about many more wines that I had this past year. Im sure that some of you wont agree with me on my choices. Thats OK. I like it when you write me and tell me about the one that got away!

Enjoy!

Rich Breshears, the East Oregonians wine columnist, is a commercial photographer and marketing consultant for the wine industry in Oregon and Washington. He lives with his family in Kennewick, Wash. You can reach him by e-mail at photos999@charter.net