Novelty Hill

Recent Acclaim

The Oct 2006 issue of the Wine Enthusiast includes some terrific Novelty Hill scores:

92 pts. 2003 Novelty Hill 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 Novelty Hill 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 Novelty Hill 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 Novelty Hill 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.

2003 Syrah, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek
Wine Spectator 90 pts.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
Wine Spectator 91 pts.

2003 Merlot, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek
Wine Spectator 92 pts.
Best of Washington, Wash CEO

2004 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Stillwater Creek
Wine Advocate 89 pts.
Wine of the Day 5/4/06

2004 Acclaim Highlights

2001 Novelty Hill Merlot
90 pts. Wine Advocate - August 2004

“Winemaker Mike Januik is a magician with Merlot, as is demonstrated by Novelty Hill’s 2001. Its mouth-watering aromas of flowers and red cherries lead to an expressive, medium-bodied personality packed with concentrated layers of red and black cherries. This fruit-forward, silky-textured, pure, friendly effort also reveals excellent structure. This superb value delivers a mouthful of smile-inducing ripe Merlot fruit for under $20, truly an anomaly in today’s marketplace.”
89 pts. Wine Spectator 10/15/04

2001 Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon
92 pts. Wine & Spirits - December 2004

“This wine builds in a slow crescendo, coming into focus with air until its contours feel almost etched in their detail. It leads with brown earth and coffee aromas, the black currant fruit slow to emerge; those earth elements offer the wine plenty of structure, as well as a savory edge.”
90 pts. Wine Spectator 10/15/04

“Mike Januik makes the wines for this label, owned by Tom Alberg, one of the early investors in Amazon.com. This Cabernet is crisp and bright, with surprising density to the pure blackberry and currant flavors, developing a halo of mocha and spice with oak on the long, lively finish.”
89 pts. Wine Advocate August 2004

“Another winner, the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, bursts from the glass with spicy blackberries. Medium-bodied, elegant, highly flavorful, and seamless, it exhibits boisterous flavors of spiced cassis and blackberries who effects linger in its long, fruitfilled finish.”

2003 Novelty Hill Syrah
88 pts. Wine Advocate - August 2004

“The 2002 Syrah burst with spices, black raspberries, and chocolate. On the palate, this medium-bodied, satin-textured wine offers a lush black mass of dark fruits, soft tannin, and wonderful mouth-feel. . . loads of bang for the buck.”

2003 Novelty Hill Klipsun Vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc

88 pts. Wine Enthusiast - 12/01/04

87 pts. Wine Advocate - August 2004

“Melon and creamed almonds are found in the nose. . . Produced from the warm slopes of Red Mountain, this rich, plush effort contains 20% Semillon, which provides for a honeyed mineral component amidst its ripe melon flavors. Drink this satin-textured wine over the next 1-2 years.”