2021キュヴェ
2021キュヴェ
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.
The 2021 Columbia Valley Cuvee 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.
65% Merlot, 27% Cab Franc, 8% Malbec
受賞歴と称賛の声
"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. Drink now through 2031. 1,461 cases made. From Washington."
-93 points, Tim Fish, Wine Spectator, winespectator.com
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"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. 1461 cases made."
- 93 points, Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
"This wine punches way above its weight, you don’t want to miss it."
Praise for the 2020 (previous vintage): 94 points, Rob Geresi, International Wine Report
"The sweet aroma of a Santa Rosa plum unites on the cuvée’s nose with boysenberries and a chalky calcium note. Ripe Bing cherries are muddled together with flavors like chocolate ganache and a cedar-like bit of Sichuan peppercorns. The wine’s soft acidity is currently eclipsed by a massive tannic structure."
-92 points, Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast
"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
AVAs
Columbia Valley
