our wines
Crafted with character
Smooth in texture and full of verve. Matthews wine offers a balanced palate with a complexity and richness that pairs well with the season's freshest harvest.
In pursuit of the Columbia Valley
An introduction to Washington
An old-world connection
Washington is located at nearly the same latitude as some of the top French wine-growing regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy. For almost 150 years, vines here have thrived, thanks to long, sunny days and cool nights that are kind to growing grapes.
Washington wine the Matthews way
Matthews grapes are sustainably grown and hand-harvested in Washington State: A wine region unlike any in the world. Here, miles of vines stretch across 20 diverse AVAs to produce a broad range of thriving varietals.
Grown in the Columbia Valley
The valley is home to 50,000 acres of vines within 20 distinct AVAs. Contrary to the reputation of the Pacific Northwest, the valley only gets six inches of rainfall a year—as much as the Gobi desert. Our long and consistent growing season produces complex yet vibrant wines with world-class varietals ranging from Cabernet Sauvignon to Sauvignon Blanc.
The Matthews vineyards
Our grapes are grown across the Columbia Valley. Vines in the Royal Slope, Red Mountain, and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs all contribute to what makes Matthews such complex yet vibrant wine.
Our Team
Alex Stewart
Head Winemaker
Alex believes great wine is born at the intersection of adventure and obsession. His journey started in Washington, where a love of science led him from biochemistry studies to a degree in Enology at Cal State Fresno. That passion carried him across the vineyards of Burgundy, Tuscany, and Switzerland, where he immersed himself in the traditions that have shaped wine for centuries.
Back home, Alex spent nearly 17 years at Quilceda Creek, climbing from harvest intern to winemaker before taking the helm at Matthews, Tenor, and Single Barrel under the Avallé portfolio in 2021. His winemaking style is hands-on and minimalistic, treating fruit with patience and precision while constantly chasing new inspiration from the world’s greatest bottles. For Alex, every vintage is a chance to push Washington wines further while honoring the legacy of a region he’s proud to call home.
When he’s not in the cellar, Alex can usually be found trekking through the Cascades, catching some live music, or digging around the yard with his wife and high school sweetheart, Kate, and their three kids. Whether on a mountain or around the dinner table, he’s always seeking the same thing he does in winemaking: moments that stay with you.
Hal Iverson
Winemaker
Hal Iverson didn’t set out to become a winemaker. In his twenties, searching for direction, he took a seasonal harvest job at a local winery and never looked back. What started as a hands-on way to make a living quickly revealed itself as a perfect intersection of science, art, physical work, and deep sensory pleasure.
Today, Hal is the Winemaker for Matthews, Tenor, and Single Barrel under the Avallé portfolio, where he’s been crafting wines since 2021. Before that, he spent over a decade at Quilceda Creek, working his way up to Assistant Winemaker. His style reflects both rigorous training in world-class Bordeaux varietals and a spirit of exploration – especially when it comes to Burgundy and Rhône varieties, where trial and error have been his greatest teachers.
Hal’s approach to winemaking is grounded in curiosity and humility. He sees wine not as a product, but as a way to mark time: each vintage a reflection of the people, places, and moments that shaped it. His wines are made with care, critical thought, and the belief that they’re meant to be shared.
A Washington State University alum, Hal has lived and traveled throughout South America, Europe, and Asia. He now lives in Snohomish with his wife and kids, where they run a certified organic U-pick blueberry farm. Outside the winery, you’ll usually find him listening to a philosophy podcast, weed whacking, chopping wood, or wrestling with his three wild kiddos.
Owners, The Mercer Family
The Mercer family is a fifth-generation agricultural family whose roots in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills date back to 1886, when they first settled the land as sheep ranchers. Over the decades, they evolved alongside the region, transitioning from sheep to cattle, then expanding into row crops and large-scale farming, while maintaining a deep commitment to stewardship of the land. Their legacy is defined by resilience, innovation, and an enduring connection to the high-desert landscape they have farmed for well over a century.
In 1972, the Mercer family helped pioneer the Washington wine industry by planting the first wine grapes in the Horse Heaven Hills, recognizing the region’s unique potential for world-class viticulture. Today, they continue to farm thousands of acres along the Columbia River, growing premium wine grapes alongside a diverse range of crops. Their work bridges tradition and progress, combining generations of ranching knowledge with modern farming practices to produce wines that reflect both the character of the land and the legacy of a family deeply rooted in it.
The Mercer family acquired Matthews Winery in 2026. Having grown fruit for Matthews and its sister brands for years, the partnership was deep rooted in shared vineyard and winemaking philosophies. Their vision for Matthews is simple: protect what makes it great while elevating it through deeper vineyard integration. They are passionate about preserving the brand’s identity, while using their generational farming expertise to enhance quality and strengthen its role as a leading, vineyard-driven Washington winery.
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