HISTORY:

“This portfolio over-delivers in a very big way".
- Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate #185
FIVE Novelty Hill wines were included in Robert Parker's book: "World's Best Wine Values Under $25
The Alberg family purchased this beautiful property seated on a steep, south-facing slope more than two decades ago for its excellent growing potential, then collected years of historical site data to ascertain weather patterns before planting began in 2000. Few other vineyards in Washington can boast the wide array of clones used here, each carefully selected with specific vineyard blocks in mind.

More information: > Novelty Hill Booklet

BELIEFS:

The first rule of Novelty Hill winemaking is that behind every great wine, there is a great vineyard. The second rule is that behind every great vineyard, there is a winemaker who knows less is more. It's less about the winemaker leaving his or her signature on the wine and more about giving the grapes maximum latitude to shine. Careful vineyard management combined with an outstanding growing season produces deeply colored, concentrated wines with rich flavor.

NOTES:

Novelty Hill is committed to delivering consistent, high-quality wines through careful nurturing from vine to bottle. This winemaker is dedicated to innovative clonal selection, sound viticultural practices and gentle, artisan winemaking to produce wines of uncompromising character. As grapes finish ripening in the fall, evening temperatures can drop by as much as 30 to 40 degrees. These cool nighttime temperatures protect the grapes’ natural acidity, making for balanced wines that are not only lively in their youth but also age well. The net effect is a growing region found only in a handful of places around the world, perfect for growing vinifera wine grapes.

REGION DESCRIPTION:

The estate vineyard, Stillwater Creek, is located on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills in Washington State’s Columbia Valley. With the Cascades running north to south and dividing the state into east-west quadrants, Columbia Valley wine grapes thrive under the protection of the Cascades’ giant rain shield. As a result, the Columbia Valley is dry and warm. Annual rainfall averages six-to-eight inches. Summer temperatures hover in the mid-80°s. The area enjoys more than 300 cloudless days a year and long, summer daylight hours because of its northern latitude.