The 2021 Matthews Columbia Valley Cuvée is comprised of several small vineyards, namely Conner Lee vineyard, as well as key sites in the White Bluffs and Royal Slope AVAs. This wine truly represents the broad flavor and aromatic expressions of a merlot-dominant blend from the diverse terroirs of Washington State. The winemaking team worked with vineyard managers to restrict yields, creating small, concentrated berries. Thoughtful canopy management and intensive irrigation strategies were implemented to mitigate the impacts of this vintage’s infamous “heat dome.” As a result, the team was able to push ripening on many sites well into October.

The fruit was hand-harvested in the early mornings between September and October. Upon arriving at the winery, the fruit was hand-sorted and destemmed before going into stainless steel tanks, spending +30 days on skins for extended maceration. The wine was cellared for 19 months in new French oak (40%) and used French oak (60%). 59 barrels were selected and carefully blended. Ultimately, the wine was bottled unfined and minimally filtered, producing only 1,461 cases.