Winery - Januik Winery
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Mike Januik, formerly winemaker with Chateau Ste. Michelle, is an old hand in Washington, now entering his third decade nurturing and nursing this state’s fruit. His wines are understated, elegant and graceful, proportioned to age but created for near term enjoyment as well. Excellent, fruit-driven, balanced and restrained.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Januik knows this vineyard inside and out and takes full advantage of its strengths. Despite the malolactic treatment, the wine remains firm in structure, with green apple and spiced pear fruit. It feels soft and creamy, but has enough acid to retain its lively finish, with a lick of light butterscotch and hazelnut crème. Full, rich and seamless.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From an excellent, cool, Yakima Valley vineyard, the Elerding Chardonnay exhibits firm, lightly spicy green apple fruit with pink grapefruit and citrus notes. Aged on the lees for 10 months in new French oak barrels.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The Syrah is the superstar of Januik’s superb red wine lineup. Saturated, sappy and brilliantly detailed, it combines the audacious fruit power of perfectly ripened Washington Syrah with the zest of fresh-squeezed citrus and notes of pepper, tar and graphite. Beautiful definition and elegant power.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smooth, forward and balanced is the style here. Nice highlights of spice, pepper and herb too. It lacks power, but that’s the vintage, not the winemaker.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Januik is right on the money with this wine, which takes full advantage of its light, forward, pretty fruit, and accents it with precise, toasty oak and cinnamon spice. Flavorful and appealing, it’s not a wine to age, but rather to delight in. —P.G.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Dark, sappy and effusively scented with boysenberry and black cherry. It still has plenty of acid underscoring the fruit, a bit of burn in the back, but great aromas now developing secondary scents of tobacco and spice. Lewis is establishing itself as one of Washington’s best Syrah vineyards.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The fruit flavors remain primary, and the mouthfeel quite acidic. It tastes like not-quite-ripe blueberries and raspberries. Give it plenty of airing and as it begins to open up it will show additional streaks of flavor—vanilla, tobacco, and even a hint of mint. It’s deceptive, a better wine than it first appears, but you have to reach out to it.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Initially dark and tannic, it shows some sharp, piercing components with scents of pine and mint. The fruit is sharp and not at all expansive. The color is good, and there’s some nicely applied barrel influence, but for a long time it just doesn’t go anywhere in the mouth. Finally, after several hours, it begins to flesh out, although the finish remains quite sharp and shows some bite.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This has a hint of the vineyard’s characteristic chalky minerality, but other than that it’s tight as a drum, with the same uncompromising, acidic frame, showing compact black cherry fruit and no textural detail. Give it hours of breathing time and it opens up a bit more.
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