NPC: All-season performance tire recommendations?, Daily-driver and weekend warrior shoes for my Jetta. Options

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

It's that time of year again where I need to get new, sticky tires for my '95 VW Jetta -- come to think of it, my girlfriend's '02 Passat needs tires as well. Anyway, what I currently have:
Kuhmo 215/40ZR16, Treadwear 280, Traction AA, Temp. A

I'm looking for a good, all-season performance tire. Good water-evacuation is a "must have". I'd rather error on excellent summer performance than cold-weather performance. The snow/ice we get here in Portland is only a couple weeks at most, and generally not consecutively. But it does stay wet. I also will use the same tires for auto-crossing (EP).

I liked the Kuhmos (my second set). They're nice in the wet and when new. But as they get to the replacment point their traction isn't good. What I did like about them is that they didn't break-away immediately -- they would balk and squeal, giving good audio feedback when their limit was being reached, thus no surprises when traction was finally lost.

Recommendations? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

(IMG:http://www.icbm.org/erkson/personal/mycars/no_rear_emblems.jpg)