Our highest Vinous reviews, ever!

We are thrilled to share we have received our highest reviews from Vinous, ever!

In our first vintage of Reserve-level wines with our new winemaking process and team, we sat for a personal tasting with acclaimed wine critic Eric Guido.

His perspective has us beaming:

“It was pretty big news when Matthews (and Tenor) announced that their new winemaking team was coming from an extended time working at the renowned Quilceda Creek. During my last trip, I visited with the team for the first time, following proprietor Bryan Otis's suggestion to wait until spring of 2023 because of the massive sea change that was taking place at the winery. 

After spending time with the crew at their new winery and tasting room in Woodinville, on the western side of the state, I can see why. 

Bryan Otis showed a lot of guts to make such significant changes despite a successful history and fan base, yet he couldn’t pass up the chance to elevate their brand. I tasted alongside winemakers Alex Stewart and Hal Iverson. When asked what’s changed, their answer was, “What hasn’t changed?” At Matthews, the pair have carte blanche to completely rethink the system. Yields, pick dates, fermentation times, macerations and barrel aging were all rethought from the ground up. The focus of their sourcing is throughout the Columbia Valley, with the desire to form long-time contracts with growers that follow their ideals. 

Bryan Otis commented, “We want to be known as the people who care about the Columbia Valley and how it's treated.” 

Frankly, I can’t recall ever meeting a more cohesive team. 

Alex Stewart and Hal Iverson are so in sync that they stop just short of being able to finish each other's sentences. These wines don’t seek to emulate the Quilceda Creek style. Instead, this is an evolution for this team, an approach that focuses more on the transparency of fruit and verticality than richness and power. 

That said, we’re also talking about the 2021 vintage, with its two major heat events, which created yet another challenge. However, trying to find anything about these wines that would hint at a hot vintage is extremely difficult. Tannins are crunchy and well-formed. The wines are radiant yet not fruit-forward, and while new oak ranges from 75% - 100%, it’s beautifully integrated. I expect the 2021s to mature beautifully well into the next decade. 

Of note, while the Matthews portfolio generally focuses on Bordeaux varieties and blends, the Tenor range comprises 100% single-varietal wines, including Chardonnay, Syrah, and Grenache. 

The future potential for both Matthews and Tenor is incredibly high.” - Eric Guido, Vinous.com

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Matthews 2021 Reserve Claret – 95 points
Sweet sage, cedary spice and dried black cherries flow as the 2021 Claret Reserve come to life in the glass. Pure and elegant, the 2021 is savory and polished, with depths of mineral-tinged red and black fruits. It takes on a pleasantly bitter tinge toward the close, with a dusting of cocoa combined with residual acidity that creates a push-and-pull of tension. This finishes quite potent, with a balanced structure that will guarantee over a decade of positive evolution. This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It saw 100% new French oak for 21 months.

Matthews 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 points
Rosy florals, lavender and licorice complicate dusty black currant as the seductive 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve smolders up from the glass. This is a dark and radiant beauty, with racy red and black fruits energized by brilliant acidity. A bitter cocoa tinge forms toward the close. Classically dry, the 2021 tapers off long and structured, with fine-grained tannins and a thrust of cola and savory herbs. The Reserve spent 21 months in 100% French new oak.

Matthews 2021 Reserve Cuvée – 94+ points
The 2021 Cuvée Reserve opens with mentholated freshness as notes of rosemary, exotic spice and peppery rose give way to crushed blackberries. It’s silky smooth and energetic, with fresh acidity that enlivens its ripe wild berry fruits. A twang of sour orange adds lovely dimension. Classically dry, with a lavender and cocoa tinge, the 2021 finishes long and staining. The 2021 is a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Matthews 2021 Reserve Merlot – 94 points
The woodland-inspired 2021 Merlot Reserve wafts up with a blend of wild berries, rubbed sage and cedary spice. This is pure elegance - seamlessly silky and polished, with depths of dark red fruit underscored by saline minerals and a savory herbal thrust. This tapers off with a dark floral perfume and hints of steeped plum, leaving a saturation of fine tannins, while maintaining a lovely freshness. The 2021 needs time to come fully into focus, but I believe it will be worth the wait.

Matthews 2021 Reserve Cabernet Franc – 94 points
The 2021 Cabernet Franc Reserve is an understated wine with a smoldering blend of rich cherry sauce, dusty rose and hints of autumnal spice. Luxuriously soft and supple, this flows across the palate with ease, displaying floral-laced red fruits and peppery inner tones. Long and remarkably fresh, the 2021 finishes with a gently tannic grip.

Matthews 2022 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – 93 points
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc reserve blossoms with a green, tropical flourish of fruit and citrus, complemented by hints of sweet smoke. This is silky-smooth and nearly oily in feel, yet it's chock full of energy. A rich blend of ripe nectarine and peach flesh coasts through, as an air of almond custard forms toward the close. This finishes unexpectedly crisp and clean, with a lingering minerality and sapid length. The 2022 is just a baby today. It's full of potential.

Matthews 2021 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – 92+ points
 The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve opens with a pleasantly rich bouquet of lemon zest, baked pears and crushed stone. This is a deeply textural blend of savory and sweet elements. A core of citrus-tinged acidity and saline minerality complicates crunchy green apple fruit. This tapers off with tremendous length and concentration but is amazingly fresh, leaving a sour melon twang. This product of a warm vintage is gorgeous, refined for 12 months in 75% new French oak.

Matthews 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – 93 points
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is spicy, showing off a gentle peppery tinge and dusty rose tones that give way to dried black cherries. This is wonderfully crisp and refined, with silky textures and depths of dark red fruit propelled by juicy acidity. It tapers off long and structured, yet the tannins are quite sweet. The 2021 finishes with a pleasant crunch and a lingering licorice tinge.

Matthews 2021 Claret – 92 points
The 2021 Claret Columbia Valley, a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 29% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, is dark and floral, with a black raspberry core embellished by sweet herbs and hints of dark chocolate. It washes across the palate with a lifted and feminine feel, showing sleek red berry fruits elevated by rosy inner florals. Classically dry, this tapers off with medium length, leaving hints of licorice and traces of grippy tannin. The Claret has a very approachable character yet remains wonderfully complex.

Matthews 2021 Cuvée – 92 points
The 2021 Cuvée Columbia Valley is simply stunning, displaying a zesty bouquet of crushed black cherries and raspberries, complemented by hints of sage and cocoa. This is refined and sleek in style, with a rush of red and blue fruits underscored by saline minerals. An air of inner violet florals slowly forms. The 2021 finishes long, with a staining of liquid florals and gentle, round tannins that slowly fade through the lightly-structured finale. This is a blend of 65% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc and 8% Malbec, refined in 40% new oak.

Matthews 2022 Sauvignon Blanc – 90 points
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley lifts from the glass. It’s incredibly fresh, with a sweet herbal tinge that gives way to candied lime and hints of fermented ginger. Luxuriously round and soothing, with a core of mineral-tinged green melon guided by zesty acidity, the 2022 finishes steely clean. A minty sheen lingers on and on. This crisp beauty was refined in all stainless steel.

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