Matthews - Claret Columbia Valley 2020
Price: $37.99
Sale Price: $29.99
6+ Price: $26.99 / btl
Producer | Matthews |
Country | United States |
Region | Washington |
Subregion | Columbia Valley |
Varietal | Proprietary Red |
Vintage | 2020 |
Sku | 15249 |
Size | 750ml |
Here’s what you need to know: This is the first wine from new winemaker Alex Stewart. Never heard of him? He was the head winemaker at Quilceda Creek until the pandemic, when he left to work for his longtime friend, Matthews owner Bryan Otis. With him, Alex brought his two assistant winemakers. Between them, they had a whooping 37 years of combined experience at Quilceda Creek.
During their tenure, Quilceda Creek garnered two 100 pt ratings from Wine Advocate and more 97, 98 and 99 pt scores than I can count across all the critical magazines.
To summarize, winemaker Alex Stewart is the biggest rockstar winemaker you’ve never heard of.
For their debut wine, the team carefully selected 193 barrels for blending. You think they wanted to overdeliver on their inaugural wine? You betcha! And boy did they!
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this baby is packed with flavors. Thanks to the blend, there are both red and black fruit flavors, wild herbs and decadent fruit, chocolate notes as well as minerality. It’s a stunning testament to the power of a blend. Why don’t we see more in the US? I have no idea…. but I wish we did!
Matthews Description
“Dark berries, bramble, and cola on the nose give way to a background of sandalwood and vanilla bean when swirled in the glass. A nice blend of red and black fruits play well with cocoa and black tea on the palate. Polished tannins and well-balanced acidity leave a lasting finish that intrigues.” - Bryan Otis, Proprietor
Wine Enthusiast: 93 Points
“This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Merlot (34%) and Cabernet Franc (27%), along with bits of Petit Verdot and Malbec. With fruit coming from Horse Heaven Hills, White Bluffs, Wahluke Slope and Royal Slope, appealing aromas of green pepper, herb and fresh black fruit lead to ripe, polished, pure, decadent black-fruit flavors. It shows a lot of intensity and richness. Chocolate notes linger on the very long finish. It’s flat-out delicious and an outrageous value to boot.” WE
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