Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

2022
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Intense and passionate in the glass, the 2022 Matthews Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon evokes the color of ink and blackberry concentrate. Perfumed violets, boysenberry, and sandalwood aromatics are complemented with graphite minerality and Luxardo cherries. The palate is full bodied and decadent with lifting acidity. Intoxicating flavors of ripe black plum, cocoa powder, blackberry truffle, and dried figs. The vast mid palate and velvety tannins exude class and balance. Fresh red fruit with Bavarian cream and French Lavender highlight the thoroughly enjoyable lengthy finish.

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Vintages

Labeled Appellation

Columbia Valley

Varietal(s)

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification

12-15 days stainless steel then over 30 days on skins. Aged in 100% new French oak for 21 months

Alcohol

14.9%

Cases Produced

2250

Vintage Notes

Nine vineyards, three appellations, and the longest harvest we've ever run.

The 2022 Matthews Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of several vineyard parcels within the greater Columbia Valley. Key sites are from Royal Slope (Solaksen, Scarline), Red Mountain (Quintessence, Red Mountain Vineyard, Canyons, Shaw), and Horse Heaven Hills (Walulla Gap, Phinny Hill, Milt’s Vineyard) allowing this wine to truly represent the broad flavor and aromatic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from the diverse terroir of the Columbia Valley AVA.

The winemaking team worked with our vineyard managers to restrict yields, creating small, concentrated berries. Cool fall nights preserved freshness in the wine while continuing to develop flavor. Hand-harvesting took place in the early mornings in mid-October, and lasted into early November (a record for us).

At the winery, the fruit was destemmed and berry-sorted. Prior to fermentation, nearly 30% of volume was saignéed from tank to ensure maximum concentration across all varietals. Fermentations were kept even throughout primary, lasting an average of 14-17 days. Afterward, the wine spent and extra 2-3 weeks in tank for extended maceration before being barreled down into 100% new French oak (Darnajou, Taransaud, Gamba). The wine was cellared for 21 months with 90 barrels selected and carefully blended, resulting in only 2250 cases. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity, vibrancy, and intensity.

The final blend - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The following clones were included in the final wine: Cabernet Sauvignon clones 2, 4, 6, 8, 21, 191, 337

Customer Reviews

Danielle R., Seattle

Decanted it for about an hour and it just kept opening up all night. You can feel how concentrated the fruit is. Found a bit of sediment in the last pour, which for me is a good sign they didn't strip anything out of it.

Jordan K., Seattle

Don't usually spend this much on one bottle but split it with friends and everyone was asking what it was. Smooth but not boring, a lot going on in there. Read the notes afterward and went down a whole rabbit hole about the nine vineyards thing, kinda sick honestly.

Marcus T. , Seattle

Opened this for our anniversary with a grilled ribeye and it was perfect — velvety but with real structure behind it. My husband usually only buys Napa and even he admitted this beat bottles twice the price. The dark berry with that little pepper kick is what got me.

Expert Reviews & Scores

  • Owen Bargreenowenbargreen.com

    99 / 100

    100% varietal, the 2022 ‘Columbia Valley Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a knockout wine that comes from several sites in Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills and Royal Slope AVAs. On the nose this takes on Black Forest cake alongside mocha, tar and espresso grounds. The palate is a total knockout in terms of weight, finesse, and flavor density. A stunning wine to consume now, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years. This is the finest yet coming from Matthews

    Virginie Boonejebdunnuck.com

    98 / 100

    Soft in tannins and densely red-fruited, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers classic earthiness and herbal qualities against a lovely framework of structured tannin and oak integration. The 100% Cabernet grapes are sourced from 38% Red Mountain (Quintessence, Shaw, Canyons), 31% Horse Heaven Hills (Wallula Gap, Phinny Hill, Milts), and 31% Royal Slope (Solaksen, Scarline). Graphite, violet, and dried herb accent a highly polished, full-bodied palate of crushed velvet texture that’s built for 25 years or more of aging.

    Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast

    97 / 100

    After 30 days on its skins and almost two years in 100% French oak, this reserve wine is eager to strut its stuff. The opening aroma foray is black cherry pie mixed with violets, thyme, sage and a bit of citrus. This is full-bodied bliss, with integrated tannins, boisterous acidity and the texture of a silk scarf. Boysenberries, apricots and a touch of horehound candy make for a fine closing act. CELLAR SELECTION.

  • Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

    97 / 100

    The palate is bold yet refined, delivering concentrated flavors of blackberry preserves, charred rosemary, licorice root, and smoked espresso. The structure is formidable, with velvety tannins and taut acidity seamlessly integrated into the wine’s broad, muscular frame. There’s a slow-building complexity here, as hints of cassis, pipe tobacco, and graphite unfold across the mid-palate. The finish is expansive and enduring, echoing with dark fruit, oak spice, and mineral tension long after the last sip. Highly recommended.

    Eric Guido, Vinous

    95 / 100

    The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve blossoms in the glass with an array of dried violets, cedar spice box, hints of chalk dust and peppery wild berries. This is beautifully balanced, silken and fruit-centric, yet poised and powerful, with depths of red and black fruit underscored by crunchy mineral tones as a saturation of bitter clove settles in toward the close. The 2022 tapers off classically dry and with tremendous length, leaving a pleasantly chewy sensation and hauntingly dark inner florals.

    Clive Pursehouse, Decanter

    95 / 100

    Our job at the Reserve level is about observing the cream rising to the top and using that to drive the blend. This Cabernet Sauvignon is imbued with a mountain elegance, bay, eucalyptus, sapid blue and black fruits, with cassis, wild sage, and the fruit offers juicy and blue depth. Crushed black stone leaves a mineral trace on the finish.

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