2006 Columbia Valley Claret

View Winemaker's Tasting Notes Video

Philosophy

The Claret for Matthews has always filled the traditional role of a second selection wine in a winery with a flagship blend. Traditionally focused more on elegance than on structure, like the Red Wine. The Claret has always been a tremendous value for our customers. Showing clean ripe fruit and a much more modest oak program, the Matthews Claret leads a segment of value driven every day wines.

Growing Season

A relatively warm to hot year caused a small amount of concern for many of us looking at varietals ripening too quickly and not achieving developed flavor profiles. Luckily the weather cooled in September and October allowing the necessary hang time to develop optimal flavors. Will go down as one of the best vintages in recent memory judging from the wines.

Winemaking

As always each individual lot is fermented separately and then moved to our barrel program based on initial quality. The composition of our barrels program is approximately 50% new French oak, and 50% 2-3 year old French oak. For this vintage as in 2004 a decision was made late to declassify all of the Estate Red Wine into the portion designated for Claret, producing a superior level of Claret. As the winery moves forward we look to continue the elevated presence of this new vintage of Claret.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes

The nose is filled with ripe red currants, plums and dried strawberry intermingled with herbs. Fruit forward with lacings of white pepper and dark chocolate. The palate is polished and integrated and with a little air brings notes of scorched earth and tobacco. Easy to drink now, but has the structure for 3-4 more good years. 6-8-11