Claret

2013
Claret

Exotically perfumed with floral red fruits like raspberry puree and red currants mixed with sweet strawberry and crème brulee. Swirling releases rich blackberry, currants and plums with a hint of vanilla bean spice. The palate is thick and sweetly rich with perfect balance and long graceful finish. The 2012 was powerfully ripe and very Cabernet driven, this is all about grace and texture.

Vintages

Varietal(s)

54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot

Vinification

Aged in 47% new and 53% used French oak for 19 months

Alcohol

14.7%

Cases Produced

2,129

Vintage Notes

Young wine regions sometimes struggle to find their identity, but with the Matthews Claret, we’re showing that Washington can present classic wines that resonate in any market. This widely loved red is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Cab Franc, rounded out with a touch of Malbec and Petit Verdot—classic Bordeaux varietals that thrive here in Washington. The Claret has become a “go-to” wine for many people, the kind of bottle that pairs equally well with an opulent night out or burgers in the backyard. Our unique access to amazing vineyard sites and a state-of-the-art facility allows us to produce this boutique quality wine at a more accessible scale and deliver a tremendous wine to our fans.

Expert Reviews & Scores

  • #27 on top 100 list, 93 points, Harvey Steinman, Wine Spectator

    Firm and focused, with crinkly tannins around a sleek core of blackberry, currant and plum flavors that keep singing on the expressive finish. This has room to grow. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2022. 2,129 cases made.

    Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

    92 / 100

    Readers looking for a longer-term prospect should check out the 2013 Claret (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot), which is firm, concentrated and structured; it has plenty of oak in its tobacco leaf, incense, and crème de cassis aromas and flavors. Give this full-bodied 2013 about 5-6 years of cellaring and drink over the following decade.

    Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

    91 / 100

    This wine is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. It opens with intriguing aromas of graphite, cherry, barrel spice, garden herbs, coffee grounds and dark fruit. The flavors are pitch black and generous, showing density and layering.

  • Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

    90 / 100

    Bright, deep ruby-red. Perfumed, oaky aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, dark chocolate and graphite minerality. Plush, fine-grained and moderately sweet in the mouth, with the dark berry flavors lifted by enticing floral perfume and nicely framed by sound acidity for the year. Really builds subtly on the long, smooth, savory back end, which features suave, building tannins and lingering black fruits.

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