Witchery Wines Review!
- Millennial Drinkers
- Nov 13, 2015
- 4 min read
Witchery got their name from the original meaning of the word from back in 1546, it meant "An Irresistible Fascination". Well what is 'an irresistible fascination' to you? To us, it could be our love of small production wineries like Witchery. How we always need to find a wine that no one knows about? But it's not the same for everyone. The meaning of 'an irresistible fascination' for Witchery Wines is the region of Napa Valley and specifically Cabernet Sauvignon. (Trust us, they make some mean Cabs!) Witchery is a small production winery that specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon from different appellations. Their winemaker is Grant Long Jr, who some say is 'a leader in the new wave of Napa Valley winemakers'. After trying a few of the latest releases from Witchery and from his own estate, Aonair Wines, we could not agree any more, he is making some incredible wines out of the valley. This year they just released their inaugural vintage of the Spring Mountain District Cabernet and of the Howell Mountain Reserve Cabernet. Unfortunately we were not lucky enough to secure any of the Howell Mountain Reserve but, still got some great notes on three of the 2013 reds!
2013 Witchery Reserve Proprietors Blend Where did we drink this: Aonair Vineyards, Coombsville Color: Deep and opaque ruby red. Very clear, not cloudy at all. Nose: Fruit forward, lead with cassis and a ton of dark berries. Body and Tannins: Very round moderate tannins (6.5/10) that integrated perfectly with the moderate body. Roundness definitely benefited from the air time and the blending of varietals. Mouthfeel: Insanely plush. Literally like licking silk sheets, so smooth. Lots of dark fruits that stick through the finish. Finish: Lasts for around 8 or so seconds after you swallow. Moderate finish that lingers. Decant: I believe this was tried on the third day. Unbelievable to hold on for three days, and no VacuVin! Opinion: We can truly see aging potential in this wine, for up to 7 or so years in the cellar. Absolutely delicious, one of my favorite blends. I believe the blend make up is very similar to the 2012 which was 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 10% Malbec and 6% Cabernet Franc. A must buy for Bordeaux blend wine lovers! Retails for $75.00. (93/100)
2013 Witchery Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Where did we drink this: Mariott, Napa Valley Color: Opaque purple and ruby red. Very clear, not cloudy at all. Nose: Fruit forward, lead with cassis. Everything else was tight. After breathing for an hour notes of mesquite smoke and herbs began to appear. Body and Tannins: Moderate plus tannins (7/10) with a full body. Tannins grips the cheeks as it progresses from the front to rear palate. Very well balanced but needs time to integrate very young. Mouthfeel: Tons of dark fruits and berries, specially black berries as it attacks your palate. Like the proprietor's reserve, insanely plush, silky and smooth. No harsh areas or heat. Finish: Very balanced, no spikes or harshness. Moderate finish that lingers. Decant: Two hours. Opinion: Again another great wine with some aging potential, we would say up to 7 or so years in the cellar. Honestly, we will probably finish them way before then! So far our favorite out of the Witchery Cabs that we have been lucky enough to try. The blend make up is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Cabernet Franc. A great Cabernet Sauvignon out of the valley, and drinks above its price point. Retails for $100.00. (93/100)
2013 Witchery Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon Where did we drink this: At Home. Color: Opaque, dark ruby red with a slight purple hue. Very clear, not cloudy at all. Nose: Fruit forward, with tons of cassis and dark berries. Definitely can sense the level of oaking in this wine, notes of vanilla. Body and Tannins: Moderate to low tannins (5/10) with a moderate body. Well integrated. Mouthfeel: Fruit forward and attacks with dark fruits. Slightly less than the Oakville, but that is what is expected of mountain fruit. Definitely a crowd pleasure, very quaff-able. Rolls down your tongue like soft silk. Finish: Smooth and soft, light to moderate finish. Does not last as long as the Oakville or Proprietor's Blend. Decant: PnP (Pop and Pour) Opinion: Fun fact this is the inaugural vintage of their Spring Mountain District Cabernet. Prior to 2013 they have only made the Oakville Cabernet which started in 2009. Again another great wine but, not too sure of the aging potential. We would drink this within the next two years. Hopefully we will have a better idea of what might become of this wine then. The blend make up is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. You can still see the amazing work Grant Long Jr is doing with these wines, fascinating. Retails for $100.00 (91/100)
Click on the logo at the top of the page for a link to Witchery Wines' website so you can try these babies out! Travel Tip! One easy way to taste both of these wines is to reach out to Gordon Larum, the owner of Witchery. He also owns his own tour company, Eye on Wine. He can be your driver and take you to your favorite estates or let him build up an itinerary, and we swear you will not regret it! Five stars hands down! *****
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