In an attempt to beckon the sun gods back to the Pacific Northwest, the first in a series of white wine reviews this week…

Novelty Hill shares a new multi-million dollar facility with Januik Winery in Woodinville, Washington. Mike Januik, who served as head winemaker for ten years at Chateau Ste. Michelle, is winemaker for both wineries.

The Novelty Hill label consistently offers great wines at exceptional values. Novelty Hill uses grapes primarily from its estate vineyard, Stillwater Creek. Stillwater Creek is located in the Frenchman Hills in Royal City, Washington (Columbia Valley AVA). This vineyard has been used by an increasing number of winemakers of late, including Saviah Cellars, Betz, and others.

Roussanne, one of the six white Rhône grapes, does not make it in to lot of single varietal bottlings in Washington. Others that come to mind are McCrea Cellars, who was the first to do a single varietal bottling here, DeLille, Forgeron Cellars, and Morrison Lane. If you know of others, let me know. Roussanne also shows up in a number of other blended wines in the state.