Our Next Chapter
Matthews, the next chapter.
The Otis Family has presided over the Matthews brand for the past 14 years. During this time, we have been amazed by the outpouring of support we have received, which on occasion has seemed almost overwhelming in its generosity. We feel grateful to play some small part in the making of wine in this dynamic region that we call home. We have taken some time to reflect on the past and were driven by one simple question: Where does Matthews go next?
While the journey is always more important than the destination, our family has remained focused on what our mission has been these past 14 years:
That each vintage we venture to push our vineyards, our winemaking, and our craft to its highest possible level.
In 2008, upon purchasing Matthews Winery, our family stewarded the wines in a new direction, always with the aspiration to craft pure expressions from our wonderful Washington State terroir.
Over the last 14 years, we have grown more in love than ever with the quality of wine that Washington State produces and have continually looked to refine each aspect of our winemaking.
First, improving the equipment used for making our wines: a better sorting table, concrete tanks, and utilizing smaller stainless-steel tanks for more specialized and controlled fermentation. Next, we expanded our vineyard sourcing for our Reserve-level wines across Red Mountain and along the Royal Slope. In 2019, we added Conner Lee Vineyard back into our portfolio for the first time since 2003. With 2020, we were fortunate to add vineyard blocks from both Champoux and Wallula Gap of Horse Heaven Hills.
Finally in 2021, we were joined by a brilliant winemaking team that is capable of producing the finest expressions of every varietal we make. We are only just beginning to appreciate their dedication to the winemaking craft. Meet the team here.
In addition to honing our vineyard sites, winemaking processes and team, we settled on a wine portfolio that empowers us to make wines that showcase the very best that Washington can offer, at every level. This three-tier portfolio has been nearly 10 years in the making, and it offers distinction in both wine style and accessibility.
With our 2014 vintage, we introduced our first Reserve Claret. This wine paved the way for an entire suite of Reserve wines to follow. Producing remarkable wines worthy of the Reserve title could only happen with our improved knowledge of the sites from which we source.
Our Reserve wines now include: Reserve Claret, Reserve Cuvée, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Merlot, Reserve Cabernet Franc, and the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
Starting with the 2019 vintage, we added a new tier of AVA-Specific wines (AVA stands for American Viticultural Area). These wines focus on showcasing the unique terroir that comes from these smaller areas, called “sub-AVAs”, within the Columbia Valley AVA. The three AVAs we are fortunate to showcase are: Red Mountain, Royal Slope and Horse Heaven Hills.
Finally, the entry point to Matthews Wines is our Columbia Valley portfolio. These wines are a blend of vineyard sites from the greater Columbia Valley, each showcasing the breadth of Washington State terroir. The Columbia Valley is the broadest AVA in Washington State and is now home to twenty unique sub-AVAs.
The Columbia Valley wines include Claret, Cuvée, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc.
We are excited to begin releasing our 2020 red wines and 2021 white wines this Fall and Winter. With the added vineyard sites in Horse Heaven Hills (Champoux and Walulla Gap), these new wines feature additional components of flavor complexity and further push each wine's individual personality. After 2+ years of cellaring, we are so excited for our Members to open and enjoy them.
Thank you for your belief in us, and in our wines. Thank you for allowing us to craft the very best wines we possibly can from this wonderful wine region of Washington State. We are grateful every day for the years of support you have given us. We are more excited than ever for the upcoming wine releases, and the wine currently in barrel. 2022 looks to be another magical year, and it's hard not to feel like we are just getting started. Again. :)
Onward, into the 2022 harvest!
–The Otis Family and entire team at Matthews
