2019Reserve Cuvée
2019Reserve Cuvée
The 2019 Matthews Reserve Cuvee was crafted from several vineyards across four separate AVAs in Washington State: Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Royal Slope and the Walla Walla Valley. The vineyards were farmed using sustainable practices and the vines were limited to one or two clusters per shoot for maximum concentration. Grapes were hand-harvested in the early mornings of Sept 21st– Oct 16th, 2019. Upon arriving in the winery, each cluster was hand-sorted, berry-sorted, then fermented in 50% concrete 50% stainless steel. Using only the free-run wine, it was then moved to custom French oak barrels for 22 months of cellaring with over 40 individual evaluations by our winemaking team. The resulting 14 barrels were bottled, without fining or filtration, producing only 344 cases.
Blue fruit aromatics (blueberry, huckleberry) combine with secondary aromas of allspice, bramble, mesquite and dried flowers. On the palate, blue fruits turn to darker expressions of marionberry pie, black cherry and plum. These dark fruit flavors mingle nicely with dark chocolate, baking spice, fresh earth and pipe tobacco, adding complexity and nuance to the medium bodied and well-structured palate on this wine.
Southern Caramelized Onion Smothered Chicken
77% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot
Awards & Accolades
"More Merlot-dominated, the 2019 Reserve Cuvee has brilliant aromatics of cassis, spicy oak, white flowers, new leather, and chalky minerality. Reminding me of a great Saint-Emilion, it's medium to full-bodied, has remarkable purity, perfectly integrated oak, and a great finish. It's up there with some of the finest Merlots I've tasted from Washington State, and I'd certainly be happy to drink a bottle."
- 94 points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
AVAs
Red Mountain
Red Mountain
- Designated
- 2001
- Vineyards
- 2,382 acres (963 hectares)
- Top Varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- Average Annual Precipitation
- 5 inches
- Soil
- Silt, sand, volcanic basalt
- Average vine age
- 22yrs