Deep garnet core, dense purple rim. The nose is a captivating promise: crushed rock minerality meets exotic sandalwood, dark black forest cake, and bright black cherry, with a whisper of crème de violette. The palate explodes with ripe fruit—blueberry pie, luscious blackberry jam, and decadent raspberry liqueur. Hints of licorice and candied violets mingle with subtle clove and a whisper of unsmoked cigar. Sweet, velvety tannins frame the ultra-concentrated, full-bodied wine, while vibrant acidity provides lift. The finish lingers, a symphony of Chinese five spice, damp earth, and dark cassis, leaving a lasting impression of richness and depth.
Buy Now $135Vintage Notes
The 2022 Matthews Reserve Merlot is comprised of several vineyard parcels within the greater Columbia Valley. Key sites are from Royal Slope (Solaksen), Red Mountain (Red Mountain Vineyard, Two of Us vineyard) Horse Heaven Hills (Spice Cabinet Vineyard), and Conner Lee Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, allowing this wine to truly represent the broad flavor and aromatic expression of Merlot 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, Sylvain, Quintessence). The wine was cellared for 21 months with 38 barrels selected and carefully blended, resulting in only 983 cases. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity, vibrancy, and intensity.
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