23 New 90+ Ratings this Fall for Januik, Novelty Hill

The critics have smiled on Januik and Novelty Hill this fall.   Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast awarded a total of 14 Januik wines 90+; nine Novelty Hill wines earned 90+ from the two publications, and a limited amount of a few of these wines are still available from the winery tasting room or on-line.  Read the reviews here and follow the BUY link to our on-line store to purchase the wine or learn more.

2010 Januik Reserve Columbia Valley 

93 pts – Editor’s Choice  Januik’s reserve blend is 81% Cab- ernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The fruit is cloaked with lush layers of barrel toast, and it may require several hours of decanting for it to open up. When it does, the flavors multiply on the palate with cassis, black cherry, dark chocolate, pencil lead and wood smoke, along with dusty, mouth-coating tannins.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

92 pts — Smooth and generous, shaped to show off the cherry and spice flavors, hinting at mint as the finish picks up the tempo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Wine Spectator 9/30/2013

2010 Januik Cabernet Franc Weinbau Vineyard  SOLD OUT

92 pts — Fine-grained and focused, with a lovely rose petal note weaving through the sleek blackberry and toast flavors. Lingers easily on the deft finish. Wine Spectator 9/30/2013

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley  SOLD OUT

92 pts — Firm in texture, with mildly grippy tannins around a generous core of violet-tinged blackberry and black currant fruit, shaded by hints of white tea and peach on the lingering finish. Wine Spectator 9/30/2013

2010 Januik Merlot Columbia Valley  

92 pts – Editor’s Choice   crowd-pleaser, this tightly-wound Merlot comes on very Cab-like, but with red fruits more than blue or black. It opens up into a broad mid-palate, showing well-balanced nuances of olive and earth, fresh herb, pepper and licorice. Dense, textural and smoky, it’s delicious now or could be cellared for another five or six years.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Januik Syrah, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard  SOLD OUT

92 pts – Editor’s Choice   Pretty raspberries, red currant and a hint of iodine spark the taste buds, then darker streaks of wood smoke and black licorice kick in. There’s snappy acidity and an undertone of metal and stone. Complex and captivating.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2012 Januik Sauvignon Blanc, Sagemoor Vineyards  

92 pts – Editor’s Choice   This fresh, young wine, showcases a palate-thrilling mix of ripe tree fruits—sappy apples, juicy citrus—and some hints of pineapple as well. The ripeness turns the lemony fruit into limoncello, and the finish is long and wonderfully refreshing.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Januik Chardonnay, Cold Creek Vineyard SOLD OUT

91 pts — Fresh and precise, with lovely pear, apple and green fig flavors meshing seamlessly as the finish lingers. Delivers refinement and refreshment. Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

90 pts — This lush Chardonnay has a certain oiliness to the aromas, along with dusty, toasty components that ride through a soft, plush mid-palate. The fruit is a rich mix of peach and apricot, highlighted with toasty hazelnuts, coconut and vanilla.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon, Champoux Vineyard  

91 pts — Offers crisp tannins and focused flavors, with dark berry, sage and cedar notes on a lithe frame. A cellar-worthy Cabernet.  Wine Spectator 9/30/2013

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon, Weinbau Vineyard  

91 pts — Soft, ripe and generous, corralling the spicy, tobacco-accented cherry and dried tomato flavors into a smooth ball that rolls easily onto the long and expressive finish.  Wine Spectator 9/30/2013

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard  SOLD OUT

91 pts – Cellar Selection  There is a spine of steel, and the underlying flavors of metal and mineral dominate the red currant fruit. Graphite and gravel notes add to the complexity. The suggestion: give this wine another half decade of aging.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Stillwater Creek Vineyard  

91pts – Cellar Selection   Fresh and vibrant, with juicy currant and plum flavors on a supple frame, letting the spicy overtones gently accent the lingering finish. Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

90 pts — This is the winery’s estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon . . . dark and deep wine that rewards decanting, showing good concentration and dense layers of brambly berries, licorice and espresso.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Novelty Hill Merlot, Columbia Valley  SOLD OUT

91 pts — Smart Buy  Dark, deep, round and expressive, roiling with black cherry, smoke and meat flavors, persisting on the finish. This is coming together nicely. Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

2010 Januik, Petit Verdot, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard  SOLD OUT

91 pts.  – Cellar Selection Varietal Petit Verdot is a specialty at Januik, with a cult-like following. This well-sculpted effort compacts the fruit into a tight core of black cherry and cassis. Hints of cola, earth and cacao run through it as well, with the tannins, ripe and proportionate, suggest that it will age well for a decade or longer. Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Novelty Hill Syrah, Stillwater Creek Vineyard  SOLD OUT

91 pts — A smooth and vibrant red, with dark berry flavors bubbling up through polished tannins. Shows lime and mint hints as the finish lingers. Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

90 pts — The Stillwater Creek vineyard brings signature elements of herb, earth and green tea, along with cool climate berry flavors. It’s still young and tight, but the dark, roasted, slightly smoky notes add extra interest and dimension.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Januik Merlot, Klipsun Vineyard  SOLD OUT

90 pts — This lithe style packs red berry and tobacco flavors into a bright team that shines through the engaging finish.  Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

2010 Novelty Hill Merlot, Stillwater Creek Vineyard  

90 pts — The vineyard-designated wines from Novelty Hill consistently deep-seated, earthy herbal character. It’s quite like a modern Bordeaux, taking the cassis fruit as a base and cloaking it with toasted flavors from earth and barrel.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

2010 Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 

90 pts — Smooth and inviting, this medium-weight charmer offers enticing blueberry, plum and gentle spice notes that persist onto the polished finish. Wine Spectator 10/15/2013

90 pts — Well-defined, this tight and sculpted Cabernet is muscular and firm. Its black cherry and cassis fruit core is augmented with astrin- gent herbs, lingering through a focused finish.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013

 2012 Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Stillwater Creek Vineyard  

90 pts — Done in a bracing, sappy style, this is a concentrated wine with lush flavors of lemon drop, orange candy and Key lime. It’s ripe and juicy, with a suggestion of bees wax in the mouth.  Wine Enthusiast 11/2013