#Woodinville winery #NoveltyHillJanuik Archives

Novelty Hill-Januik’s event manager, Liz Rich, has learned that the most memorable events don’t just happen—they’re curated through dozens of thoughtful decisions, big and small. Whether it’s a corporate celebration, a wedding, or a milestone birthday, the goal is always the same: to create an experience that feels effortless, fun, and totally personalized. Here, Liz shares six tips to help bring your next event to life.

Start with a Warm Welcome

Every memorable event at our Woodinville winery begins with hospitality. That first moment sets the tone, whether it’s a welcome glass of wine, a friendly greeter at the entry, or a thoughtful takeaway gift. Make guests feel relaxed, appreciated, and ready to enjoy what’s to come. In wine country, a refreshing Rosé and a warm welcome go hand in hand.

Add Personality with Interactive Experiences

A well-timed surprise can transform an event from lovely to unforgettable. We enjoy helping clients infuse their celebrations with creative, engaging elements—like a live band, a roaming photo booth, a painter capturing the scene, or curated lawn games that invite guests to mingle. These thoughtful activities make private events at our winery feel one-of-a-kind.

Design Seating to Match the Mood

Layout and flow are crucial to the guest experience. Whether the event calls for a seated dinner with formal place settings or a more open, reception-style gathering, design the space to fit the occasion. At Novelty Hill-Januik, our flexible indoor and outdoor event space allows guests to create a layout that enhances conversation, connection, and comfort.

Create Menus That Welcome Everyone to the Table

Guests always appreciate menus that are seasonal, delicious, and inclusive. Thoughtful menu planning means accommodating dietary needs without making it feel like an afterthought. Gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free—whatever the preferences, our Woodinville winery aims to make every guest feel like the menu was created with them in mind.

Make Every Detail Count

Sometimes the smallest details make the biggest impression. We help clients choose finishing touches that bring their vision to life: napkins in a company’s brand color, uplighting that brings warmth to the space, floral accents, or elegant place cards. These details may not always be noticed individually, but they create a cohesive, polished look that guests feel instantly.

Work with Trusted Partners Who Know the Space

We’re proud to work with a network of preferred vendors who understand our winery venue inside and out. From photographers and florists to AV teams and rental pros, our vendor partners bring experience and creativity to every event, helping things run smoothly from setup to final toast.

Let’s Bring Your Vision to Life in Woodinville Wine Country

The goal is to make an event feel effortless and extraordinary. From welcome wine to the final details, we’re here to help you create something personal, polished, and filled with joy. If you’re planning a private event in Woodinville, we’d love to help make it unforgettable.

Ready to start planning your event in Woodinville Wine Country? We are here to help bring your vision to life. Reach out to our events team here: https://bit.ly/4c9LuiJ

Visitors often ask what we’re doing in the cellar in the spring. It’s an excellent question because, while harvest in the fall is exciting and busy, the quieter months that follow are just as important to crafting great wine.

Gentle Winemaking at Novelty Hill Januik

At Novelty Hill Januik, our winemaking approach is gentle and hands-off, but that doesn’t mean we’re sitting on the beach sipping mai-tais this time of year. Instead, the cellar team carefully monitors and nurtures the wines as they age. Approximately 90% of our winemaking efforts after harvest involve patiently checking on each lot and gently guiding their development to ensure aging progresses smoothly.

Managing Wine Lots with Care

Because we source grapes from across the Columbia Valley, we handle many individual wine lots—some are small, just two or three barrels, and others can be more than thirty. We regularly use a gentle gravity-based racking process to transfer wines from barrel to barrel with a siphon. This keeps each lot healthy and stable without disturbing its delicate nature. Winemaker Scott Moeller and I also continuously taste wines to identify which lots stand out each vintage.

Blending: The Art of Winemaking

My favorite part of winemaking comes next: blending. It’s meticulous but rewarding, and it’s where we turn winemaking into art. We begin by sampling wines we’ve carefully nurtured, then combine different lots to see how they complement each other. Each blend, sometimes simple, sometimes incredibly complex, helps us refine our choices. For Januik and Novelty Hill, this means comparing numerous combinations—dozens or even hundreds—until we find the perfect harmony. Imagine fashion designers selecting fabrics, refining their textures, and ultimately creating the ideal garment. In winemaking, the grapes are our fabric, careful aging is our craftsmanship, and blending is our artistic expression.

Experience the Winemaking Process

The best part? Visitors at Novelty Hill Januik have the unique chance to see some of this in action. Our Woodinville winery is built to give visitors an authentic peek behind the curtain into the fascinating world of winemaking. We invite you to visit soon.

Andrew Januik, Winemaker