Today we share a new brand from the Matthews family of wines. This exciting new range of wines come from great sites in Conner Lee, Stoneridge and Va Piano vineyards. The wines are made by the new winemaking team by Matthews which is a superstar group of guys. Alex Stewart, Hal Iverson, and Jesse Schmidt were all formerly with Quilceda Creek. During their collective tenure at Quilceda Creek, the winemaking team contributed to the winery’s remarkable string of scores and accolades. They are amazing people that I have had the pleasure of spending extensive time with.
Now to the wines, I tasted these at the Tenor tasting room and they were remarkably good across the board. Do not miss out on the 2021 Single Barrel Rose (OB, 94) which is brooding and big. This is one of the finest Rose wines I have tasted all year from anywhere, including some of the top wines from Provence. The flavor range is simply scintillating on this, as this is really drinking like a complex red. Learn more about this electric new wine project at https://singlebarrelwine.com/ and here are my reviews of the thrilling new Single Barrel wines.
2021 Single Barrel ‘Connor Lee’ Chardonnay- Coming from this warm site in the Columbia Valley the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Connor Lee’ Chardonnay is a stunning new wine that is showing brilliantly now at the two year mark. Once on the nose this displays honey and pastry crust alongside roasted pineapple tones. The palate is deep and concentrated with a seamless texture and glorious sense of length. Finishing very long with baking spices, and creme brûlée, this generous and broad-shouldered. Drink 2023-2031- 94
2021 Single Barrel ‘La Reyna Blanca’ Chardonnay- The 2021 Single Barrel ‘La Reyna Blanca’ comes from a small site that is planted to three clones of Chardonnay. Very golden in the glass 2021 Chardonnay offers amazing concentration and bright underlying acidity. Lemon zest and creme brûlée flavors greet you alongside marzipan and a near minute long finish. A stunning bottling, this will live on for another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 95
2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Chardonnay- Coming from the Royal Slope AVA, the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Chardonnay comes from a high elevation vineyard that is planted on a northern facing slope. Cardamom and rich baking spices greet you on the nose alongside bananas foster, peach and shades of shortbread. The palate is concentrated but shows a fantastic level of freshness. Finishing extremely long, with outstanding viscosity, this is a beautiful expression of Washington Chardonnay which is not for the weary. Drink 2023-2033- 95
2021 Single Barrel Rose- Coming from the Solaksen and Connor Lee Vineyards, the 2021 Rose was stored in neural oak barrels before bottling. The wine is very serious and concentrated, with amazing viscosity. Red rose petals, guava, and orange peel, wild mushroom and shades of baking spices all combine on the palate. Already beautifully evolved, round and generous with good mouth-watering acidity, this Pinot Noir Rose will show well over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 94
2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Solaksen’ Pinot Noir comes off as very concentrated in the glass. This saw a high percentage of stem inclusion during the fermentation process. Stored in only 10% new French oak barrels, this offers cola and juicy red cherry tones on the nose alongside shades of black truffle shavings. The palate is rich and concentrated with good underlying finesse and weight. Pretty red fruit flavors combine with suggestions of tilled salty soils, and iodine. Fresh and fragrant, this beauty is showing really well right now. Drink 2023-2031- 93
2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen and Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Syrah- Coming from two high elevation sites, the 2021 Single Barrel ‘Solaksen and Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Syrah comes off very inky in the glass. Smoked brisket, iodine and wet stone with violets all mark the nose. The plate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful purity of dark fruits. Gorgeous to consume now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2025- 95
2021 Single Barrel ‘Stoneridge and Thunderstone’ Syrah- The brilliant 2021 Single Barrel ‘Stoneridge and Thunderstone’ Syrah comes from these two sites in the Royal Slope AVA. Wet stone, garrigue, anise and dense dark fruits mark the nose. The palate shows a soft texture with good weight and underlying finesse. Blood orange zest, cigar box, black cherry and boysenberry fruits combine with the stony undertones on the palate. Beautiful to consume now, this will live on for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 95
2021 Single Barrel ‘Scarline’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Scarline’ comes from a site that has two different Syrah clones planted (Joseph Phelps and Tablas Creek). The wine was stored in 75% new French oak prior to bottling. The aromatics are gorgeous with violets, black tea and Asian spices that parade with dense dark fruits and smoky accents. The palate is concentrated and heady with serious concentration and good underlying finesse. This is a Cab-lovers Syrah with its massive power. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 96