BLIND TASTING wine can level the playing field, especially for lesser known wineries struggling to get a little publicity in a crowded field. If you don't know the brand, the winemaker or the winery, the only thing left to judge is the wine itself, not its reputation. It is inevitable in a large tasting with wines from across the state that some relatively unknown wines would rise to the top, like a dark horse bolting to the finish line. And that's what happened with the annual Washington CEO Magazine wine awards: Some of the lesser-known wineries came out of the blue to bump more popular wines out of the top three contenders in each category. And many of the wines judged were far better than the averaged scores reflect, a testament to the increasing quality of Washington wines. We've picked five wineries that stood out in the tasting, either because their wines hit one of the top three spots in the various categories, or because many of their wines hovered near the top three slots. All of these wineries have been in the industry for years, and those fortunate enough to know about these gems have tasted some very good wines. In addition, the five wineries - Vin Du Luc, Whitestone, Camaraderie, Thurston Wolfe and Ryan Patrick Vineyards - are all in locations other than the popular winery destinations of Seattle, Woodinville and Walla Walla, thus reinforcing Washington's reputation of offering the ultimate in wine tours to every corner of the state.

THE WINERIES

WHITESTONE WINERY.Walter and Judy Haig planted a vineyard in 1994 in Wilbur on the shores of Lake Roosevelt, once the site of the largest vineyard in the state before the area was flooded in the creation of the Grand Coulee Dam. Now run by son Michael, the winery specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The winery received an "outstanding" rating in the wine competition for its Merlot and an "excellent" score for its Cabernet Franc.

CAMARADERIE CELLARS. Located in Port Angeles, Camaraderie was founded in 1992 when Don and Vicki Corson decided to make wine on the Olympic Peninsula. The winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (taking an "outstanding" in the awards), Cabernet Franc (also an "outstanding" rating), Malbec, and Syrah (an "excellent" rating). Camaraderie is also featured in the Tasting Room at Pike Place Market.

VIN DU LAC. Located near Lake Chelan, this winery is part of the Lake Chelan Wine Company, created by Larry Lehmbecker and Michaela Markusson. The portfolio of this winery continues to expand and so does the quality. Vin du Lac was given an "outstanding" award for its Cabernet Sauvignon and its Cuvee Rouge blend and earned an "excellent" for its Cabernet Franc. Vin du Lac produces food-friendly whites and complex reds, along with a rosé. This winery is an up-and-comer.

THURSTON WOLFE. Wade Wolfe and Rebecca Yeaman started Thurston Wolfe Winery in 1987, working with more unusual varietals, such as Zinfandel, Lemberger and Orange Muscat. Located in Prosser, the winery has just opened a brand-new winery-tasting room. It was their Syrah that wowed the judges, who gave it an "outstanding" and one of the higher scores of the competition. They also produce a tasty blend called Dr. Wolfe's Family Red, comprising Zinfandel, Petite Syrah and Lemberger.

RYAN PATRICK VINEYARDS. This winery is located in Rock Island, just east of Wenatchee. It produces several white wines and some Bordeaux-style reds. Ryan Patrick is owned by Terry and Vivian Flanagan, and the wines are made by winemaker Craig Mitrakul. Their latest Chardonnay rated an "outstanding" in the wine awards and earned the highest score for white wines. The judges also gave an "excellent" to their Sauvignon Blanc.