2021 Matthews Columbia Valley Cuvée
Paying homage to left-bank Bordeaux-styled wines, it pops out of the glass with aromas of black cherries, blue plums, grapefruit pith, cedary herbs, and smoked cinnamon sticks.— 93 points, Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
Few styles are as beloved as Right Bank, Merlot-driven blends. Rooted in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, the classic mix led by Merlot with Cabernet Franc (and a touch of Malbec or Petit Verdot) is prized for a plush mid-palate, lifted aromatics, fine tannin, and seamless length. Merlot itself was once the world’s most planted grape for good reason: on the clay-rich soils of Bordeaux’s Right Bank it ripens fully and builds texture, a profile that later found kindred homes in California and Bolgheri, where climate and clientele embraced its generous feel and alluring perfume.
The Columbia Valley is a gift to this tradition. Long summer light, cool nights, steady winds, and well-drained soils ripen Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc in balance year after year. Our region is capable of delivering purity of fruit, natural energy, and the kind of texture that rewards careful blending. Matthews Cuvée channels this Right Bank lens through our favorite Columbia Valley parcels, offering a supple, vibrant expression of place that feels both timeless and distinctly our own.
The 2021 Matthews Columbia Valley Cuvée is a merlot-dominant blend sourced from a handful of meticulously farmed vineyard parcels across the Columbia Valley. Key sites include the renowned Conner Lee Vineyard as well as select blocks in the White Bluffs and Royal Slope AVAs. Together, these vineyards capture the extraordinary range of terroir expressions that define Washington State’s world-class Bordeaux-style reds.
Vintage Overview
The 2021 growing season will long be remembered as one of contrasts and resilience. Following a winter of below-average precipitation, early bud break arrived in late March, setting the stage for an accelerated growing season. By late May and early June, bloom occurred under hot, windy conditions, producing smaller clusters and naturally low yields across many vineyard sites.
Then came the historic “heat dome” of late June. An unprecedented event that shattered temperature records throughout the Pacific Northwest. For many growers, this was the defining moment of the vintage. The extreme heat spurred rapid sugar accumulation but delayed phenolic ripeness and flavor development, creating a challenging balance for vineyard teams.
Our vineyard partners employed several strategies to protect the fruit during this stressful period, including leaving greater canopy cover over clusters and maintaining consistent drip irrigation to prevent dehydration. These thoughtful practices allowed the vines to remain healthy and resilient through the summer’s intensity. As the season transitioned to autumn, cool, stable fall temperatures proved invaluable, allowing flavor and tannin development to catch up to sugar levels.
By harvest, the fruit displayed deep color, fine structure, and exceptional concentration, all hallmarks of a low-yield, high-intensity vintage.
Harvest & Farming Practices
Across all vineyard sites, yields were deliberately reduced by approximately 30% through careful cluster thinning and canopy management, ensuring that each vine focused its energy on fewer, more concentrated berries. These restricted yields resulted in small, thick-skinned grapes with exceptional flavor density and natural balance.
Thanks to the cooler harvest window and absence of early frost, the team extended picking well into October, up to six weeks later than previous vintages. This patience allowed each site to achieve full physiological ripeness, with balanced acidity and finely developed tannins.
The fruit was hand-harvested in the early mornings between September and October, arriving at the winery cool and pristine. Upon arrival, every lot was hand-sorted and destemmed, ensuring only the highest-quality berries moved forward to fermentation.
Vinification
Each vineyard lot was vinified separately to preserve its unique site character and provide a diverse palette for blending. Following destemming, the fruit underwent cluster and berry sorting, then a 48-hour cold soak to gently extract color and flavor prior to fermentation.
Fermentations were initiated with a non-saccharomyces yeast to build aromatic complexity before being inoculated with a designer yeast strain to complete the process. Throughout primary fermentation, tanks were managed twice daily using a combination of pump-overs, punch-downs, and pulsed-air techniques, selected to achieve optimal extraction and polished tannin texture. Temperature control was carefully monitored to balance structure with freshness.
After roughly two weeks of fermentation, the wine remained on its skins for an extended 30+ days of maceration, deepening its color, complexity, and length. The young wines were then pressed and transferred to French oak barrels (40% new and 60% once-used) where they underwent malolactic fermentation, softening acidity and building plush texture.
Aging & Blending
The lots were cellared for 19 months in barrel, with each evolving at its own pace under the guidance of the winemaking team. After numerous tasting sessions, 59 barrels were selected for the final blend, representing the most expressive and balanced examples of the vintage. The wine was bottled unfined and minimally filtered, preserving purity and vibrancy.
In total, only 1,461 cases were produced.
Composition
The final blend comprises ten separate clones, offering remarkable complexity and nuance:
Merlot: 2, 3, 6, 15, 18, 181
Cabernet Franc: 1, 214, 327
Malbec: 4
Winemaker Tasting Note
“The 2021 Columbia Valley Cuvée sparkles with purple and deep garnet in the glass. Meadow flowers, fresh red berry, black plum, and cocoa powder aromas exhilarate leading to flavors of morello cherry liqueur, cardamom, mountain blackberry, and licorice snaps. This merlot-dominant blend is plush and weighty on the palate with powdery tannins. Dark stone fruits and dusty minerality coat the palate for a long, seamless finish.” -Alex Stewart, Winemaker
PRAISE FOR THE 2021 MATTHEWS COLUMBIA VALLEY CUVÉE
"A handsome blend, structured and polished, with expressive black cherry flavors accented by tarragon, mocha espresso and toasty spices that sail toward refined tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.”
93 points, Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
“This Merlot-based blend is a part of the Matthews tradition. Wildly fruity aromatics with whole berries, destemmed aromas driven by red berries, mountain blueberries, and a touch of green peppercorn and mocha dust. A streak of graphite underlines red berries, early season blackberries and a savoury herbal character that mingles complexity with fresh ripe fruits.”
93 points, Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“The Merlot-dominant 2021 Cuvée from Matthews blends 65% Merlot (31-year-old vines), 27% Cab Franc, and 8% Malbec, with a total of 22 different clones being used. Resting for 19 months in 40% new French oak, it gifts a deep purple core with a fluorescent purple rim. Paying homage to left-bank Bordeaux-styled wines, it pops out of the glass with aromas of black cherries, blue plums, grapefruit pith, cedary herbs, and smoked cinnamon sticks. Big and bold with a touch of finesse on the finish, it’s lush with moderate acidity and sweet tannins.”
93 points, Jeremy Young, International Wine Report