I bought a Specialized Sequoia about a month ago, upgrading from a Trek 700 hybrid. It's somewhat sportier than the touring bikes I tried (Cannondale T800/2000), but you can still fit a back rack and fenders. Also, the stem is adjustable so you can position the handlebars at whatever height you want.
I'm very happy with it. I've had no trouble with it on rough/wet roads (though I haven't had the chance to try it in snow yet). It seems to do fine with a load of groceries in the panniers, too.
I have the "Elite" model which ran about $1300 with rack/fenders, but there's a cheaper model with Sora components that's about $800, which would leave plenty of budget for lights, etc.