Witching Hour Sounds Terrifying, Tastes Great

It was a Saturday before the pandemic began. I was at Total Wine picking up a handful of bottles of inexpensive red blends for mid-week guilt-free imbibing. After I added my fourth Columbia Crest to my cart, a friendly employee approached me. And changed my life.

“Do you like Columbia Crest?” he asked in a thick English-ish accent. (I’m as good with placing accents as I am with wine)

“I do — taste is good, price is right,” I replied. He nodded.

“It is good,” he admitted. “But have you ever tried, ‘Witching Hour?’” he asked, raising a bushy eyebrow.

“No,” I said. “But I would love to if you’re telling me I should.”

He pointed to the shelf below me where laid several bewitching bottles priced at an near-unbeatable $6.99. “I recommend trying one. If you like Columbia Crest, you’re going to really like this. And it’s cheaper.”

Great taste. Easier on the wallet. He was speaking my language. So I grabbed a bottle.

I firmly believe most people can’t tell the difference between a $7 bottle of wine and a $30 bottle of wine. Or heck, a $60 or $100 bottle of wine. I couldn’t. If you threw a paper bag over this bottle and another over almost any other bottle, I’d likely prefer it every time, 60% of the time.

This is a bold wine — I taste blackberry, plum, vanilla. It’s peppery, dry, acidic, but also – and I don’t know what I mean when I say this, but – it’s soft. Smooth. No wincing. Just pure enjoyment.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go order a few more bottles because the website listed on the bottle I have (witchinghourwines.com) isn’t working, I can’t find any news articles about them, and we really need to get 2021 back on track. 

• Would I get it again? Without question, yes.
• Would I drink it if someone gave it to me? Happily. And I’d act like I discovered it first, like the person who claims they knew the indie band before they made it big. 
• Would I drink more than one? It’s a bottle finisher.
• Would I recommend you try it? If you like cheap wines that are really drinkable, yes.
• Good while __: counting all the money you saved by not buying some other bottle.

Witching Hour Red Blend
2018
California
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