Pumpkin Spice Witch’s Brew

Bottoms Up

By Anna Faller | Oct. 23, 2021

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Or rather, the much greater Pumpkin Spice Witch’s Brew. The stuff of northern Michigan legend, Leelanau Cellars’ Witches Brews have been around for more than two decades (Leelanau Cellars itself is a bit of a vinology veteran; it was founded in 1974), but this latest version in the Omena winery’s spellbinding series is anything but old school. Far from its OG Witches Brew brethren, itself a rich mulled red steeped in a cauldron of secret spices, this adult adaptation of our collective pumpkin spice obsession is a wizard of a foil: ripe, juicy, and fire bright, thanks to a base of all-natural apples (not apple “flavors”) and a layering of warming autumn spices — cloves, ginger, and the like — that tastes magical hot or cold.  Bottoms up, Witches! $7.99 for a 750 ml bottle. Find it at the tasting room at 5019 N. West Bay Shore Dr. in Omena and local grocery stores. (231) 386-5201, www.lwc.wine