One of the older Woodinivlle wineries, Matthews was founded in 1992 and remains a family owned and operated winery. Matthews relies on the talented hands of Aryn Morell who consults for a host of exceptional Washington wineries. One of the great winemakers in the state, Morell has had previous jobs at some of the best Napa estates including Joseph Phelps, Quintessa, Chimney Rock, Vineyard 29, Chappellet, Stags Leap Winery, and Turnbull. He became head winemaker for Matthews in 2007 and Morell sources his grapes from some great vineyards in Washington like Stillwater Creek, Weinbau and Sagemoor. All Matthews wines are made at his production facility in Walla Walla.
I recently had the opportunity to taste with Aryn over a period of four hours. His wines were exceptional across the board. The Matthews lineup was just gorgeous as I immediately noticed the silky mouthfeel and wonderful minerality that Aryn incorporates into all his wines wines. A downright awesome value is the 2016 Matthews Sauvignon Blanc (WWB, 92 points) which is one of the best Washington Sauvignon Blancs that I have sampled in the past year. Similarly gorgeous was the 2013 Matthews Claret (WWB, 93 points), which was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and shows tremendous dark fruits. This is another great value by Matthews. Learn more about the great Matthews lineup at http://www.matthewswinery.com/ Here are the fantastic new releases by Matthews.
2016 Matthews Sauvignon Blanc- Matthews has gained a sterling reputation for their entry level Sauvignon Blanc bottling and this wine is a reminder of that. This wine was sourced from the Boushey and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. This wine has 11% Semillon blended in. You can really taste the Semillon adding to the weight and mouthfeel of this great wine. The Sauvignon Blanc begins with aromatics reminiscent of butter, white flowers, nutmeg, cantaloupe and suggestions of baking spices. White peach, white grapefruit and Pazzaz apple flavors follow. This is lithe, Bordelaise and has a wonderful elegance and weight. Drink 2017-2025- 92
2016 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Sauvignon Blanc- This gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc wine was largely aged in concrete eggs which add to the texture of the wine. This begins with aromatics of lemongrass, white peach, white grapefruit and gooseberry. This has lovely texture and complexity. Flavors of Japanese apple, nectarine, cantaloupe and hints of vanilla and whipping cream impress. The balance and Bordelaise feel is there, all leading to an exceedingly long finish. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2014 Matthews ‘Claret’ Red Wine- This compelling new wine by winemaker Aryn Morell is a blend of 54% Cabernet with the remainder Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine begins with ripe aromas of creme de cassis, mocha, black olive and blackberry jam. The weight is there as is the structure and gorgeous black fruits alongside light tannins. The ripe texture impresses. Drink 2017-2028- 93
2014 Matthews Merlot- This wine is a blend of 83% Merlot with lesser parts Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was aged in 80% new oak, showing a masculine profile. This red blend starts with a bouquet of black olive, milk chocolate, rose petal, graphite and green olive. The mid-palate weight is lovely. This has black cherry, black olive, crushed mint and milk chocolate flavors. This is downright delicious as this beauty will drink well for a decade or more. Give this at least a two hour decant if enjoying young. Drink 2017-2029- 93
2013 Matthews Cabernet Sauvignon-This gorgeous wine opens with a dense aromatic display of creme de cassis, coffee grounds, black olive and red bell pepper. The weight and texture is marvelous as this wine has intense flavors of black tea, black olive, mocha and mint, as well as earl grey tea. This mouthfeel is simply stunning. Drink 2017-2029- 93
2013 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2013 Matthews ‘Reserve’ Cabernet is a blend of 68% Cabernet with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This has intoxicating aromatics of black tea, tar, milk chocolate and crushed mint. The texture is stunning. This leads to intoxicating flavors of black tea, black cherry, blackberry jam and suggestions of Turkish coffee with sweet pipe tobacco accents. This needs a one to two hour decant if enjoying young. This powerful Cabernet will cellar beautifully for decades but it is nearly impossible to resist at this early stage. Drink 2017-2033- 94