A gorgeous winery in Woodinville, Januik and Novelty Hill is a must-visit or any lover of Washington wine. Winemaker Andrew Januik trained under his father, Washington wine icon Mike Januik, who was formerly head winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle and Col Solare before starting his own winery. Mike is a master of crafting great wines from literally any varietal. For years I have admired his Chardonnay wines that show insanely good aging potential — even from hot sites like the Cold Creek Vineyard. These guys are also crafting some of the greatest values wines in the state.
My family loves visiting this gorgeous facility in Woodinville. The food quality at Januik just keeps on getting better. I had such a nice visit with Andrew and Mike, as we talked Washington wine and the state of the industry. They have been doing really well despite the economic downturn in wine.
I love the 2024 Januik ‘Sagemoor’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 92) which is a killer value buy Even better is the 2023 Januik ‘Reserve’ Red Wine (OB, 95) which is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from this house. Learn more about these great wines at https://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/ and here are my reviews of the great new wines by Januik/Novelty Hill.
2025 Januik ‘Cerulean’ White Wine- A Rhone-inspired blend from the Les Collines Vineyard, the 2025 Januik ‘Cerulean’ White Wine is smooth and juicy on the mouth with vibrant acidity. Bright pear and starfruit combine with shades of sourdough bread on the palate. Drink 2026-2032- 92
2024 Januik ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2024 Januik ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc offers white peach and lilac on the nose alongside pink grapefruit blossom. This shows a smooth mouthfeel with loads of mouth0watering acidity. Drink 2026-2032- 92
2024 Novelty Hill ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2024 Novelty Hill ‘Sagemoor Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc offers sweet gooseberry and kiwi on the nose with freshly cut grass. The palate shows vibrant minerality with a smooth mouthfeel. This is a seriously good value. Drink 2026-2031- 92
2025 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Viognier- The 2025 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Viognier shows honeysuckle and gardenia on the nos alongside roasted peaches. The palate is fresh and refined with a smooth texture and bright acidity. Drink 2026-2032- 92
2024 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Roussanne- Green melon and starfruit mark the nose alongside brioche tones. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2026-2032- 92
2023 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2023 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay shows off its creamy texture with excellent weight from this warm vintage. The palate is rich and refined with a sterling tension with salty nuances. Drink 2026-2032- 92
2024 Januik ‘Cold Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2024 Januik ‘Cold Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from this historic site. Toasty brioche, juicy peach and ripe pineapple all mark the nose. The palate is plush and round with a terrific mouthfeel and comes off seamless throughout the drinking experience. Drink 2026-2034- 93
2025 Spring Run Rose- A superb GSM-style Rose, the 2025 Spring Run Rose offers juicy pear, strawberry and guava flavors. Showing excellent tension and salty nuances, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2026-2031- 91
2022 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Grenache- The 2022 Novelty Hill ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Grenache offers pure red fruits with a dusting of orange peel and bergamot notes on the palate. Soft and round, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036- 93
2023 Januik ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Grenache- The 2023 Januik ‘Boushey Vineyard’ Grenache is juicy and delicious to enjoy right now. Intense red fruits combine with a silky mouthfeel and kumquat zest notes. Fat and round, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2038- 94
2022 Novelty Hill Sangiovese- The 2022 Novelty Hill Sangiovese offers cloves, tar and blood orange zest on the nose. The palate is refined and elegant with a silky texture and generous red fruits with garrigue and salty minerals. Drink 2026-2033- 92
2022 Andrew Januik ‘Los Molinos’ Red Wine- A GSM-inspired blend, the 2022 ‘Los Molinos’ offers tar, sandalwood and dried herbs on the nose with dense dark fruits. The palate is refined and juicy with vibrant red fruits alongside orange rind and bergamot notes. Drink 2026-2036- 93
2022 Novelty Hill ‘Il Corvo’ Red Wine- The 2022 Novelty Hill ‘Il Corvo’ Red Wine is well-structured, juicy and delightful wine. Bright red and dark fruits parade with sandalwood and chocolate notes on the palate. Drink 2026-2034- 93
2023 Andrew Januik ‘Doppelganger’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 ‘Doppelganger’ offers a great structure and weight, with lovely acidity. Dense dark fruits mingle well with copious minerals and fresh sage on the palate. Drink 2026-2038- 93
2023 Januik ‘Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2023 Januik ‘Reserve’ is a barrel selection wine that is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Discovery and Quintessence Vineyards. Inky in the glass, this delivers a seamless texture on the mouth. Heady dark fruits pared with dark chocolate shavings, sandalwood and shades of black currant jelly. The combination of flavor density, weight and freshness here is simply outstanding. Drink 2026-2046- 95
2023 Andrew Januik ‘Baba Jaga’ Cabernet Sauivgnon- An amazing wine sourced from the Southwind Vineyard, the 2023 ‘Baba Jaga’ stands inky in the glass, offers dried herbs and dark currants n the nose with tar and anise notes. The palate is seamless and refined as this glides through the mid-palate with terrific depth and concentration. Drink 2026-2039- 94