2016 Januik Merlot

WE90 The aromas draw you into the glass, with notes of dried herb, dark chocolate, cherry and cedar. Well-proportioned, slightly jammy red-and black-fruit flavors follow, supported by a lovely sense of structure and accented by plentiful barrel spices. It hits a lot of high notes.
WS90 Svelte and focused, featuring vibrant red currant flavors laced with fresh tarragon notes, building elegant complexity toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2024. 585 cases made- 
Estate Notes: This supple, medium-bodied Merlot shows lots of raspberry, blackberry and plum notes in the nose that transition into fleshy black fruit and mocha flavors in the mouth. Brimming with a tremendous amount of texture and length, this wine should age gracefully for a minimum of 10-15 years. Our Columbia Valley Merlot includes grapes from Klipsun, Champoux, Ciel du Cheval and Weinbau vineyards.  The diversity of these well managed vineyards provide for a full range of fruit expression which allows us to craft complex, multi-layered wine true to Columbia Valley terroir as well as the varietal character of the grapes. 96% Merlot; 2% Cabernet Sauvignon; 2% Cabernet Franc

For 35 years, winemaker Mike Januik has been producing elegant, balanced wines that reflect the unique geography, climate, and soils of Washington’s best Columbia Valley vineyards. By remaining true to the principle of place that has guided Mike since his first harvest in 1984, our three labels are distinct, each reflective of the vineyards that define them.
When Mike established his own Washington winery in 1999, he developed a short list of vineyards he considered to be among the state’s best. 

The grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley on the east side of the Cascade Mountains where the landscape is arid, the days are warm and the sun almost always shines. Rainfall averages 6 to 8 inches annually. Summer temperatures hover in the mid-80s, and the sky is cloud-free 300 days a year. Autumn days stay warm but the nights turn cool, protecting the grapes’ natural acidity. The net effect is a growing region ideally suited to wine grapes.

Such well-known, mature sites as Champoux, Weinbau, Cold Creek and Ciel du Cheval, to name just a few, are the greatest point of difference in Januik wines.