--- title: 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc date: 2026-06-23T03:53:00-07:00 canonical_url: "https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2018-reserve-cabernet-franc" section: Wines --- ![Reserve Cabernet Franc](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/bottleShots/_300x950_crop_center-center_82_line/OUTSHINERY-Matthews-Reserve_CabFranc-2018_2021-09-23-193152_fxpz.png) Notes of black currants, red fruit, plum skin, graphite, and sweet baking spices. Swirling adds aromatics of bloomed spices, fresh plum purée, and dried herbs. The palate offers layered spice, black fruits, and a lifted floral note. Polished and structured with fine, accessible tannins, this wine showcases Washington State’s remarkable ability to develop Bordeaux varietals. Sold Out VintagesInformation Vintages - [ 2022 ](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2022-reserve-cabernet-franc) - [ 2021 ](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2021-reserve-cabernet-franc) - [ 2020 ](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2020-reserve-cabernet-franc) - [ 2019 ](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2019-reserve-cabernet-franc) - 2018 - [ 2017 ](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-franc/2017-reserve-cabernet-franc) Varietal(s) 87% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon Vinification Fermented in 68% stainless steel 32% concrete. Aged for 26 months in 88% new French oak. Alcohol 15.1% Cases Produced 415 Vintage Notes The 2018 Matthews Reserve Cabernet Franc was crafted from several small vineyard parcels across four AVAs in Washington State: Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Royal Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Farmed using sustainable practices, the vines were primarily limited to one cluster per shoot or three clusters per spur to create maximum concentration in each cluster. They were hand-harvested in the early fall mornings of 2018. Upon arriving in the winery, each cluster was hand-sorted, berry-sorted, and then fermented in either stainless steel (68%) or concrete (32%) tanks. Using only the free-run wine, it was then moved to 88% custom French oak barrels for 26 months of cellaring with over 40 individual evaluations by our winemaking team. The resulting 17 barrels were bottled, without fining or filtration, on February 24, 2021, producing only 415 cases. --- ## Our Recommendations PreviousNext - [![Reserve Cuvée](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/bottleShots/_300x950_crop_center-center_82_line/OUTSHINERY-Matthews-Reserve_Cuvee-2018_2021-09-23-200110_hpxi.png) ### Reserve Cuvée](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve/2018-reserve-cuv%C3%A9e) - [![Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/bottleShots/_300x950_crop_center-center_82_line/OUTSHINERY-Matthews-Reserve_CabSauv-2018.png) ### Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-cabernet-sauvignon/2018) - [![Reserve Claret](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/bottleShots/_300x950_crop_center-center_82_line/OUTSHINERY-Matthews-Reserve_Claret-Columbia-2018_2021-09-21-010629_slnr.png) ### Reserve Claret](https://matthewswinery.com/wines/reserve/reserve-claret/2018-reserve-claret) Expert Reviews & Scores ### Owen Bargreen, Vinous 92 / 100 > Nearly all Cabernet Franc (87%), the 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve was sourced from the Solaksen and Stillwater Creek vineyards. Herbal and well-balanced, it delivers straightforward black fruit flavors with good finesse and dried herbal notes plus hints of rose water. Trade Materials - [ Tech Sheet](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/wineTradeAssets/2018-Matthews-Reserve-Cab-Franc-Consumer-Tech-Sheet.pdf) - [ Bottle Shot](https://mercer.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/matthews/wineTradeAssets/OUTSHINERY-Matthews-Reserve_CabFranc-2018.jpg)