Mike
Januik discusses plans for the new winery with Bill Short of Dreyfus,
Ashby
THE FIRST RULE OF WINEMAKING is that
behind every great wine, there is a great vineyard. The second rule
of winemaking is that behind every great vineyard, there is a winemaker
who knows less is more. It's less about the winemaker leaving his or
her signature on the wine and more about giving the grapes maximum latitude
to strut their stuff. Mike Januik is such a winemaker, and he's proven
that over the course of almost 20 vintages in Washington State.
His years of winemaking in the Columbia Valley have given
him experience with vineyards throughout the region only a handful of
winemakers in the state can rival. He's brought this background to Novelty
Hill, sourcing grapes from some of the best vineyards in the state and
bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to our own vineyard plantings
at Stillwater Creek.
In addition to crafting wines for Novelty Hill, Mike founded Januik
Winery in 1999. Prior to that, he spent ten years as head winemaker
for Chateau Ste. Michelle where he introduced the winery's acclaimed
single vineyard and reserve programs. Among other notable achievements,
Mike has had eight wines listed on Wine Spectator's prestigious "Top
100" list, and in 1999, Wine Enthusiast magazine named him one
of the world's ten Masters of Merlot. Under his guidance, Wine &
Spirits named Chateau Ste. Michelle "Winery of the Year" in
1997 and 1999.
Mike holds a master's degree in enology from the University of California
at Davis where he studied sensory evaluation with Professor Ann Noble.
OPENING IN THE SUMMER OF
2006
Our Winemaker
August 2004
"Mike Januik, whose feats as a winemaker
have graced the pages of this publication (Wine Advocate) for
years due to his tremendous work at Chateau Ste. Michelle until
1999, is now master of his own destiny . . . he's quickly catapulted
this (Januik Winery) small operation to the forefront of Washington
State's producers. . .winemaker Mike Januik is a magician with
Merlot, as is demonstrated by Novelty Hill's 2001." Wine Advocate
Fall 2003
"One sure way to count on early
success is to hire a great winemaker. That's what Novelty Hill
did when it enlisted the services of Mike Januik." Wine Press Northwest
Sept. 6, 2003
"Behind the success (of Novelty
Hill) is (Mike) Januik, former head winemaker of Chateau Ste.
Michelle." Seattle Times
April 2003
"Woodinville's Novelty Hill has
benefited from the talents of Mike Januik, owner of Januik Winery
and former winemaker of Chateau Ste. Michelle."
Seattle Magazine
Mike Januik discussing the recent veraison
in August 2005
The
Oct 2006 issue of the Wine Enthusiast includes some terrific Novelty
Hill scores:
92 pts. 2003 NH Syrah,
Col Valley Ripe black fruit and spicy, smoky scents pull you into
this smooth and lush gem of a Syrah. Dense and fruit-driven, it's
a showcase of the super ripe 2003 vintage, which blessed Washington's
Syrah with unprecedented power. Editor's Choice
90 pts. 2004 NH Stillwater
Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc
Crisp, authoritative melon and mineral, lined with lime and citrus
and pineapple. A lovely wine, concentrated and rich.
91 pts. 2003 NH Stillwater
Creek Vineyard Merlot Rich, powerful and sappy, with a tarry core packed with
fruit. Young, concentrated and spicy with whiffs of anise and plum.
89 pts. 2003 NH Merlot,
Col Valley
Good, solidly made blend with enough Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc
to add coffee aromas and firm up the tannins. It falls away in the
finish, getting light and a bit leafy, with echoes of green tea.
