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About This Business:
Michael Florentino Cellars specializes in unique grape variatals from around the world (e.g. Tempranilla , Sangiovese, primativo, Couniose, etc). Come… read more »
38 reviews for Januik Winery
38 reviews in English
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Review from Ada H.
Renton, WA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful experience here! I am not by any means a wine connoisseur but two friends of mine are and we made the tour together. Easy 20-30 minute drive from Seattle/Renton area to Woodinville. Nestled right across from the ever popular St Michelle Winery.
Januik from the outside looks like a colder manufacturing facility but once inside visitors are greeted by a modern winery experience. The staff was personable and knowledgeable. Pours were moderate and the food, all though we did not indulge, appeared tasty. We went on a sunny Sunday afternoon so it was kind of busy but still a good experience.
The outdoor grounds were lush with a fountain, tables with umbrellas, and bochi ball (did I spell that right?! who cares...) set up for play. I have zero clue how to play that game but thought it was a nice touch!
I'm definitely going to go again especially with friends, family, and out of town guests! *cheers* -
Review from Stacy B.
Federal Way, WA
12/26/2011
Good wine, mellow atmosphere. Not very much space at the tasting bar and makes service not so great. Servers look almost lost only one gal seemed to enjoy her job or wine for that matter but love the outside and decor it's modern, trendy, and not too yuppie
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Review from Kim P.
11/7/2011
Stopped in for my second visit this weekend. Such a great space summer or fall. Staff is friendly and helpful and you will find a wine you like. The Late Harvest Semillion was my take-home bottle. Enjoy.
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Review from Kayla s.
6/27/2011
If you are looking from the streets, you would probably never guess the building was a winery. They even have special events there like weddings, which I find interesting because I wouldn't say it is the pretty winery I have ever seen but they do make great wines.
Mike Januik makes fabulous wines. He used to be the wine maker for Chateau Ste. Michelle, so he definitely knows what he's doing, and even has special access to Cold Creek vineyard which is exclusive to CSM. Pretty cool.
I love their wines. They have a good price range, although the are definitely a little bit above CSM or Airfield, which are very reasonable. But if you're looking for a special bottle, I totally recommend them. -
Review from Garee B.
Seattle, WA
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Having the smallest pours at a paid tasting room I have ever experienced... and... the employees are more interested in cleaning to get out by 5 when they close to tasters at 5... also they require upfront payment for the tasting... a very impersonal
Overall they just suck. -
Review from Melody P.
12/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was invited to a party for a software company. The facility was pretty nice and it had the industry feeling.
There's a pretty good wine tasting selection. However, I only tried two. The food was good. My favorite appetizer was the short rib skewer and my favorite dessert was the creme brulee.
There were a lot of games in the facility as well, from ping pong, darts, photo booth, etc. It was really fun!Listed in: Wine
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Review from LeeLee C.
Milpitas, CA
12/20/2010 5 photos
3.5 stars.
Contemporary settings inside, which felt nicely different from other standard winery settings. The wine was so-so. Even my friend was disappointed this time, but he said that he came once and joined a class for mixing wine on his own and it was awesomely fun.
The best part is that we could stay in the tasting room, order pizza and had a sit down casual lunch. The pizzas were not bad, they had some unconventional toppings such as veal and mushroom. -
Review from Sarah M.
8/3/2010
After arguing back and forth with my parents for some time, we decided that this was not the place for our wedding due to their unusual layout and prison-like exterior. However, the wine here is incredible!
We did one of the higher end wine tastings which is $10 for 4 wines, I believe. While we tried some unusual wines that I wasn't super crazy about, the Cabernet Sauvignon was the best I think I've had. I like fruity wines which this place seems to have a lot of. We tried the most expensive wines and some that just sounded good...although we learned that price does not necessarily mean they are good.
Interesting layout, ultra modern everywhere. Cool artwork and you can see the barrels everywhere.
My other favorite part was the caramelized onion pizza with mushrooms. Yes, they have food and this pizza in particular is awesome. Sweet, flavorful, bliss. Pesto pizza...not as good.
I definitely need to come back here soon to pick up a few bottles of wine! -
Review from George C.
Seattle, WA
11/10/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Great wine
Tasty food
Nice staff
Amazing facility with great food and wine. I can't leave without taking a bottle home. My favorite is the 2007 Cabernet. I think Januik wines are better than the overrated stuff you get at Ste. Michelle!
In the summer you can sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine or even play a game of bocce ball. Good times!Listed in: Top places to eat, not in…
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Review from Tim O.
Seattle, WA
2/6/2008 2 photos
Januik's and Novelty Hill's shared facility is the sign of the 'new' Woodinville. Throwing out the model of the old estate with land, they have built very cool (literally and figuratively) building for their tastings and other events.
Tastings are either $5, $10 or $15. Worth stopping by, if you're in the area.
Enjoy the free bocci ball court out back with a bottle of their wine. -
Review from Ariel Z.
5/29/2011
Love the very modern aesthetic - we're considering this as a venue for our wedding. We did a tasting each (one $7 for 4 wines, one $10 for 4 wines) and split a pizza ($14 for a decent sized brick oven pizza) - everything was pretty tasty. The service was friendly and the atmosphere was great; you can sit inside or outside and enjoy your wine/food. We managed to leave without purchasing a bottle this time, but some of the wines were pretty good - I even had a Syrah that I liked, and that is generally not one of my favorite varietals. They seemed to have a lot of fruity wines (there was an exceptionally fruity Chardonnay which I actually enjoyed) which I'm typically not a fan of, but the boy likes them. There's a nice selection, though, so you should be able to find something to suit your tastes.
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Review from JC D.
2/23/2009
My friends are having their wedding here. We were wine tasting in the area and they wanted to show us the winery. As we pulled in it just looked like a block of concrete...a packing shed if you will. I wasn't impressed, but...
Once you get past the first entry the place opens up to 2 rows of trees and a small gravel ground that takes your eyes to a wooden wall. It's very simple, but it's like a clean canvas on which the bride and groom can paint their perfect wedding.
There's a cozy dinner area for the guest and an adjacent winebar that overlooks the actual winery and storage area where winemakers make their magic.
We didn't try the wine, but friends say they liked the sauvignon blanc.
I'll be back to review the wine and facility in May.Listed in: Wines on the Road
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Review from Yoeun P.
Arlington, VA
2/23/2008
The winery is beautiful--unapologetically modern. The interior is open and spacious. There is a bocci ball court outside. It is a surprisingly stunning fortress of concrete. It's a great space to book functions. The staff was very helpful. We stayed there well beyond closing hours and we didn't feel rushed at all. She even took our pictures in the fermentation room!
Unfortunately, the pours are ridiculous tiny! For $15, I expect more than two full sips or three tiny sips. I also wish there were more tables and seats, but that's a minor gripe.
Tasting flights are four wines for $5, $10, and $15. The $10 flight is currently all cab. -
Review from Rebecca H.
Mission Viejo, CA
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I liked the concrete interior\exterior. Enjoyed the wine tasting ... Chardony bright and clear
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Review from Veronica S.
Seattle, WA
3/17/2008
I really just have one word for the experience: unremarkable.
That probably means I don't need to make any more remarks, but in case you're curious why I chose the word "unremarkable"...
It was Saturday afternoon and not very busy. I started with 1 pourer and ended with another. Neither seemed sociable. They simply asked me which one I wanted, poured and left. I didn't see them chat much with other tasters at the bar, either. When I did get the attention of my 2nd pourer, I asked a question and he handed me a binder of tasting notes. Gee, thanks. I asked another question, to which he didn't know the answer. Mike happened to walk by, gave him (the pourer) the answer and kept going. (Why not stop and talk to your customers directly?)
The building and grounds, while modern, seemed sterile. I checked out the Tree House room for possible meeting site. It was ok. There was a stale leftover food smell hanging in the air.
I did take a bottle of Seven Hills cab home. -
Review from Nancy O.
Boulder, CO
8/22/2008
What a great find.
My fiancee and I went here and had a lovely time. We don't go to Woodinville often and thought we'd give Novelty Hill/Januik a try. What a pleasant surprise. We both got their mid-tier wine tour.
The wines were all totally delicious. I've found in my wine tasting and enjoying experience for that to be typical to allow for swirling and aerating the wine to bring out the aroma.
I just wish you were closer, but I will continue to order from your website.
Bravo! -
Review from Alice R.
6/4/2009
Really beautiful modern facility with the winetasting bar right in the middle. We went there with a friend in the industry so we got the facility tour.
I enjoyed all four wines I tasted, especially their Riesling which was quite good. The Petite Verdoh was also very good.
Maybe their wine education for their staff has improved. I found the staff we interacted with to have a good knowledge base of their wines. -
Review from Michelle U.
Seattle, WA
10/17/2009
I'd never been to Januik Winery until a few weeks ago when I attended a wedding here. It was fantastic!
The ceremony was set in the outdoor garden. The contemporary building pairs nicely with nature as a garnish. The aisle the bridal party walked down was lined with majestic trees, and a brilliant fall orange backdrop. Despite being a bit chilly, it made for a heartfelt, beautiful ceremony.
The reception was lovely as well, overlooking the wine storage, lights illuminating the barrel room, which the bride and groom were able to use in their wedding photos. The food was heavy dinner hor d'oeurves; slides, cauliflower bisque, macaroni and cheese bites, prime rib and a plentiful selection of cheese and antipasti. With wine being served at the center bar and dancing happening all around, the setting was warm, intimate, and ideal for a celebration. -
Review from Thad W.
Seattle, WA
9/5/2007
Note: Januik Winery shares the same facility as Novelty Hill, therefore this review is the same for both wineries.
What an incredible facility Mike Januik and his design team have created at the new Novelty Hill-Januik Winery.
This extraordinary winery makes its older, more established neighbors look staid and stale. Novelty Hill-Januik was clearly designed to encourage visitors to linger, allowing one to connect to Mike's wines in ways that extend beyond the bottles being poured at the tasting room bar. In fact, it is a place one should dedicate an hour or more to slow down, relax and enjoy the setting, the people, the food, and of course, the wine.
From the parking lot, the concrete exterior can be deceiving, as it suggests a sterile, cavernous warehouse facility inside. Arriving thru the north entrance, I was immediately struck by the balanced integration of wood, steel, glass and concrete combining to create an open, airy interior design. Even better, the path to the tasting room took me past glass walls providing a birds-eye view into the separated barrel and tank rooms, enabling one to connect to the winemaking process below.
The tasting room offers a double-sided bar, which was full of people sampling Novelty Hill and Januik wines. There are also plenty of tables and chairs in the expansive room or you can venture outside into the gardens (more on that in a bit). The place was full, but due to the open design, it never felt crowded. With a commercial kitchen, dining and conference rooms, I can see why this winery is becoming a popular place for business meetings, weddings and other gatherings.
At the bar, there were three people pouring, with great service and attention provided along the way. The staff had an energy and enthusiasm about them that just made it fun to be there. But it wasn't over-the-top or pushy in anyway. In fact, the thing I liked most about my experience was the modesty shown by the folks behind the bar. No mention of reviews, awards or scores (thank goodness). Based on what I have read, this reflects Mike's style, for he is a modest man who likes to let his wines speak for themselves.
Novelty Hill-Januik Winery offers three tasting flights priced at $5, $10 and $15 as well as a reserve tour/tasting at $40. In explaining the flights, the server stated they could be flexible substituting some tastes for others. Even better, while sampling the Novelty Hill 2004 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Syrah, she placed another glass on the bar and filled it with the Novelty Hill 2004 Columbia Valley Syrah for comparison.
She did this without missing a beat, as if tasting one required trying the other. I loved this treatment, especially considering what happened to me last spring at Pepper Bridge Winery. Overall, it was a really fun tasting experience at the bar, trying the various wines and learning more about the winery and winemaker.
On my way out, I took a tour of the garden terraces, enjoying the landscape design of each level. It's evident the design team invested a lot of time and energy in the landscape architecture, creating a variety of captivating spaces to experience with your wine. For it is here, at a patio table, on a bench along the water element, at the bocce ball court or beside the fire, one can linger and enjoy a glass of wine or as part of a picnic lunch easily procured from the tasting room.
I was really blown away by the entire experience and look forward to returning with friends and family soon. It deserves to be your first stop on any future visit to Woodinville Wine Country, but plan on staying a while before moving on to your next destination. -
Review from James E.
2/15/2010
The building's interior and exterior are beautiful, period. The wood-fire pizzas made our party fall to their knees with love and devotion.
The wines? Well... At least you can enjoy the pizzas in a beautiful space. -
Review from Chad Y.
10/9/2009
Ultra modern facility which is really cool to check out. Mithun did a fantastic job designing the space and it certainly screams modern, sustainable, and clean.
The wines are nice and certainly sure to please a wide array of palates. One of the things I did enjoy was how you selected your four wines rather than a stoic tasting. For our small group it was really nice to sample an even wider array (granted we shared!).
They feature a food menu and it was incredibly relaxing to sit outside on the patio eating some simple pizzas and drinking a bottle of wine we just purchased.
Great way to have a lunch or end the day of wine tasting! -
Review from Betsey S.
1/7/2008
Januik and Novelty Hill Wineries are housed in a beautiful new facility designed by Mithun which has a delightfully spare and spacious tasting room with a large bar in the center so tasters can gather around all sides. At one end there is an indoor outdoor fireplace looking out to the terrace and views from the tasting room look down into the barrel room and winemaking room. There were lots of those little Glassbaby votives everywhere, and although the materials are largely cast in place concrete, between the votives and fire, it felt cozy and warm.
The wines were poured smaller than other wineries we visited but I found them to be adequate for tasting, and when I had questions about another varietal which was not in the tasting flight I chose, it was poured for me to try without an additional charge. Bryn and Destiny were really cute and knowledgable, and even had us help them write some notes to other Januik/Novelty Hill employees who were on a trip to Thailand, which made our stop there feel kind of like visiting friends and having a glass of wine.
Novelty Hill are some of my favorite Washington wines, and now their winery in Woodinville is one of my favorite places to take friends to taste a few of Washington's best. -
Review from A to the C.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2007
we were fortunate to have a more knowledgable pourer. I did the white tasting and my fiance did the Columbia tasting with a red focus. These wines are tasted at the Novelty Hill tasting room. Out of all the ones I tasted the Januik were my favorite. We walked away with a bottle of Merlot and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay was my favorite. I found it very unique for the area and very flavorful.
They are a $5, $10, & $15 tasting. These were some of the highest tasting fees we saw in the area, and our tasting fee was not comped on our purchase.
This was probably the best wine I tasted in the area.Listed in: Woodinville Wineries
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Review from Chris F.
Los Angeles, CA
8/11/2007
Atmosphere: Very chic. would love to attend an event here.
Service: Disappointing. The wine "pourer" knew nothing about the wine and poured like it was the last vino on earth. For fifteen bucks I would expect at least enough swill to roll round the palette once or twice.
Wine: It's good. Can't imagine it won't be long before it's all overpriced.
Update: Last visit, the employee knew about the wine. That's good. But the place was too crowded, I waited too long for service and the place just has no soul. -
Review from Robert M.
9/9/2008
The space was cool and modern.
The people tasting wine were making believe they were important.
The wine was as forgettable as can be.
The service...bad.
Nough said here... -
Review from Dave F.
Round Rock, TX
3/15/2010
This is one of the funner wineries to visit.
I suggest simply grabbing a bottle in their store / bar, along with some brie and prociutto and heading out to the patio to play bocce.
They seem to be a little short on tours. Ie, I've found it difficult to get a tour. But the atmosphere and prices are great. -
Review from Julian H.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2009
Beautiful modern facility; more like a Napa tasting room than anywhere else we've been to in Washington. The wines were good, although among the ones we tasted, I liked the Novelty Hill wines just as much, and they are more affordable all around. Not quite a five star experience because our hostess, while informative and professional, came off as aloof and uninterested.
Fascinating architecture by Mithun makes for interesting eye candy, even if the wines don't hold your attention. -
Review from Angie K.
Snoqualmie, WA
9/3/2011
I have been wine tasting as long as I have loved wine, which has been quite a few years. For my 35th birthday, my husband was the DD and Januik was the first stop for us and a couple of friends. It's a nice tasting room and setup but it was one of my worst tasting experiences ever. The woman pouring for us was not friendly hardly acknowledged we were there. The wine was good but the reason I go wine tasting is for the whole experience. An older jovial man came in and stood next to my group and overheard it was my birthday.... he says "did I hear it is someone's birthday?" and bursts into an amazing rendition of "Happy Birthday." Everyone in the tasting room cheered but I don't think any of the women who were pouring even smiled. I normally always buy wine at every winery that I visit but had better places to spend my money.
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Review from Pierre G.
Hunts Point, WA
11/20/2010
This is simply one of the better tasting rooms in Woodinville
Innovative space
and great wine
A recipe for a perfect $5 tasting:
1) Novelty Hill 2007 Stillwater Creek Sangiovese [$25]:
So smooth,
Vibrant aromas of berries,
This sharply delineated fruit bomb finishes with noteworthy purity,
2) Januik 2007 Columbia Valley Merlot [$25]:
Deep and lush with raspberry and spice box and a touch of cocoa,
Well-concealed tannin,
Finishes with the velvety, luxurious mouthfeel that marks fine Merlot
3) Novelty Hill 2008 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon [$25]:
Dark and spicy, with a tarry edge to the black cherry and currant fruit,
Seamless on the palate,
With a long, layered finish
And attractively priced.
4) Januik 2007 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon [$30]:
Elegant and with cassis, cocoa & vanilla notes,
These bright round flavors are followed by a smooth and silky finish.
Excellent aging potential.
5) Januik 2008 Lewis Vineyard Syrah [$30]:
Ripe & rich,
Dense & layered
Beguiling nose
Will cellar well.
Mike continues to amaze;
a $10 tasting menu is also available....
for Tina -
Review from Dennis D.
8/25/2010
It's an alright winery. No tours, but their tasting room is adjacent large picture windows that look out on their facility.
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Review from Donna W.
Bothell, WA
3/9/2009
I went here for an event, and let me say, I really thought it was a beautiful building. The wine was good too, but I felt like I was inconveniencing the server. They gave us a little tour which was informative. They had food too, but it was so standard to me, I was disappointed. That and it was really picked over by the time I got there and looked like a mess. I dunno, maybe this is just a bad day for me to write reviews because I'm sick and pissy.
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Review from Jody N.
Seattle, WA
2/15/2009
What an amazing venue with modern structures, zen gardens, and beautiful surroundings. A few of my friends and I went there for a special Valentine's day tasting which paired four red wines with four delicious chocolates. Although the tasting event was a little crowded the wine and atmosphere were fantastic. I can't wait to visit this winery again to enjoy the bocci ball courts and outside fireplaces with a bottle of wine.
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Review from El P.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2010
It's true, it wasn't as informative as a tasting 101, but for me the whites they poured (especially the viognier) gave me a better appreciation for whites. Our host was very friendly and talked mostly about everything except wine. Personally I wasn't into the modern art gallery-esque ambiance. I prefer a cozy warmer atmosphere for wine drinking.
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Review from Chester C.
Mill Creek, WA
3/27/2010
Went on the wine tour with my sister and stopped here. I'm no wine buff but enjoy a glass of wine every so often From outside it's very modern looking. Inside is the same. We arrived saturday around 2 and it was packed. After we found a spot we tasted 4 wines for $10. Not bad. The service was dismal. All they did was pour at request. No informal talk or friendliness. Even worse I felt like I was in an episode of real housewives of woodinville. Tacky old ladies everywhere. We bailed after we were done with our samples. I won't be going back. There are much better wineries.
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Review from Larry M.
Kirkland, WA
5/23/2009
I love the building - sort of a post modern 'prairie style' tilt-up for lack of a better description. You must go atleast once to see the architecture. The wine is good - though nothing I have had so far has been knock it out of the ball park super wonderful, (though Mr. Carter has crafted some pretty darn good stuff.) The tasting experience is good - but a little corporate - not as 'homey' as out in the Yakima Valley or Walla Walla. But go there, taste some wine, buy a couple of bottles and look at the building. You will enjoy it.
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Review from Joyce A.
Castle Rock, CO
8/22/2008
The Januik wine tasting was S-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O much fun. The owners were our pourers, provided lots of information about the wines, and assisted in all our needs. The best! I got several bottles of 2005 Merlot (which by the way was given top-notch accolades as the best grape crop in years, probably out now ...) emptied my suitcase of clothing, and when returning to Denver, carried only wine in my bag! The owner even gave me special on-board cardboard packaging containers so they arrived in perfect shape (they said they would guarantee safe flight for the wine!). Since then I've been lucky enough to find Januik Merlot locally in Denver and we enjoy it every time we open a bottle. A fun wine tasting, knowledgeable pourers, and though-not-a-wine-expert, I thought excellent wine. Highly recommend. A++++++
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Review from Jen R.
Seattle, WA
9/30/2009
I think I enjoy the atmosphere here more than the wine. This building is ultra modern, color-changing trees lining the minimalist landscaping lining the sidewalk out front. The courtyard has a fountain, tables for dining or your own picnic, even a indoor/outdoor fireplace. The is another small balcony off the wine room that has some additional tables that over-look the wine making machines that allow you to actually watch the grapes go though the pressing process. Inside the wine room you can help yourself to a large selection of free samples, from mini blueberry shortbread pieces to flavored almonds. For $5 you can buy 4 tastings, a little pricier than the other wineries in Woodinville, but for higher quality wine. The server pouring the wine did hook us up with two additional tastings to share of a Rose and 2004 Merlot which was far better than the '06. So technically we had 5 tastings for $5. Good service, convenient location, and beautiful surroundings are what you will find at Januik Winery.
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Review from Kelly C.
Bothell, WA
6/4/2010
The setting is beautiful. The service- bad. The second time I have been to this winery and been ignored by the pourers. No warmth, no welcome. Wine is Ok.
