It’s time once again for the annual roundup of the BOYs—Best of the Year wines, as tasted and detailed in these pages throughout the past 50-something Uncorkeds. Most of these will still be available through the LDB, but you’ll have to do some sleuthing; the hard-to-get players won’t appear until we get into the domestics. This outing has the customary baker’s dozen of best import wines: six whites, seven reds.

Peter Lehmann Layers White 2008 ($16.99)
It arrived here as Clancy’s Legendary White and instantly made the list. A super-sippable blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, it’s been renamed. (There’s also a Layers Red.) A crystal-clear, crisp wine showing ripe lime and fresh-rubbed rosemary aromas, along with fabulous fruit.

Raimat Vinedos Chardonnay-Albarino 2006 ($13.99)
This one is still a steal—how can they keep it at that price point?—and a happy alternative to just-plain Chardonnay: soft and supple, lots of Albariño essence, simply delicious. Surprise your next paella with it, or a salmon soufflé, or just about anything.

Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc Brut 2008 ($12.99)
What a surprise this South African sparkler turned out to be, especially the price! All the freshness and crispness you could ask for; this is definitely the bubble for dinner. With dinner. Sushi, oysters, fruit cobbler, after.

Ferrari-Carano Alexander Valley Chardonnay 2006 ($44.99)
Yes, it is 45 bucks, but it is fabulous, and it’s the only Ferrari I can afford. Creamy, complex, lots of fruit showing through; not overly oaked, sensational. Get two for dinner if you’re expecting a tax refund and totally treat yourself.

Saxenburg Guinea Fowl Chenin Blanc/Viognier 2008 ($18.99)
A stylish warm-weather treat from one of South Africa’s oldest and best wineries. Full-bodied and rich, with quite a lot of the mellowing Viognier (32 percent to the 68-percent Chenin) made from 30-year-old vines and left to intensify for a long while on the lees. Also a delicious apéritif.

Chateau La Rame Sainte-Croix-Du-mont 2002 ($17.99, 500 millilitres)
You’ll have to do some rummaging in the French section to find it, but it’s well worth the effort—this is a bargain. Heady Sauternes-style aromas; rich, luscious fruit; and a finish that lasts hours. For all those things you’d use Chateau d’Yquem for—if you could afford it. Even if you can, why would you when this is a fraction of the cost? Not just BOY, but BBOY (Best Buy of the Year) too.

Lazanou Organic Syrah 2007 ($29.99)
You won’t find this in the government stores, so it’s off to your favourite private. If it’s not there, they’ll know how to find it. First outing in our town for this new boutique winery near Cape Town. A sweet, spicy, stunning, ultra-ripe all-Syrah with beautiful oak. Big and bold, for big and bold foods.

Firriato Ribeca Nero d’Avola/Perricone 2004 ($69.95, a specialty import at Sutton Place Wine Merchant)
A major treat (at a major price), made from Sicily’s prime red grape blended with a relatively rare indigenous variety to perfection. Dark and deep, a little minty, with big, sweet prunes. Robust and easy-oaked; simply stunning.

Domaine Gayda Three Winds Syrah 2007 ($13.99)
This is your budget counterpart to the one above—a solid, hearty, beautifully balanced Syrah from a new-to-us producer in France. Rich fruit, a little bit of spice, surprising mellowness. Chillable, too, if you like. And a screw cap to make it easy to get at. Great value.

Sant’Orsola Parallelo Primitivo di Salento 2007 ($9.99)
And the best red wine buy in B.C. when it appeared back in January. They may well be on to the 2008 vintage by now, but no matter. Rich and hearty, but also soft and round. All-around, all-menus dinner wine: for tourtií¨re, turkey, ham (get a boxful for your holiday entertaining), grilled cheese sandwiches, veggie chili, roasted salmon, and all those leftovers. Long may it flourish, preferably at the same price.

Pisano Rio de los Pajaros Tannat Reserve 2007 ($20.60)
For many of us, it was the first taste of Uruguayan wine. It remains, so far, the only one, but if there are any more like this back home, I’m buying. (Interesting Web site for more info on this family operation: www.pisanowines.com/.) Rich, ripe fruit and a mellow, multilayered finish. If you’ve got a thing for cave-aged Gruyí¨re and grainy crackers, that could make a meal. Did for me.

Mirassou Pinot Noir 2007 ($14.99)
What a bargain this was/is. A full-bodied, fruity little Pinot that rivals a few Burgundians for texture, flavour, and overall appeal. And certainly, price! A fair bit of spice, plenty of plums, gentle tannins; great for traditionally non-red-wine treats like ceviche, grilled veggies, halibut with black bean sauce, and rocky road ice cream. Fantastic value in a solid California Pinot Noir.

MASI Campofiorin Ripasso Nectar Angelorum Hominibus 2006 ($19.99)
Value is always an important consideration in BOYs, be they $10 or $70 wines. This one, at $20, is astonishing. From the venerable Veneto house, where they called this a “five-star vintage”, a huge, brothy wine for all the winter stews and casseroles and other rich dishes. This “Valpolicella with attitude” (Tony Aspler’s line) is always reliable, but this vintage is surely the best I’ve ever tasted. Supplies probably won’t last much longer, so make your move on it now.