Winemaker Mike Januik is a magician with Merlot, as is demonstrated by Novelty Hill’s 2001. Its mouth-watering aromas of flowers and red cherries lead to an expressive, medium-bodied personality packed with concentrated layers of red and black cherries. This fruit-forward, silky-textured, pure, friendly effort also reveals excellent structure. This superb value delivers a mouthful of smile-inducing ripe Merlot fruit for under $20, truly an anomaly in today’s marketplace. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. Tel. (425) 481-8317 www.noveltyhillwines.com