Fidelitas Wines

Magna Dinner 2016

I started helping Michelle with our Wine Club last summer and one event that she always told me I should look forward to was Magna Dinner. Well, she proved to be right once again (I might regret saying that). On Saturday we started the morning off with a cellar tour led by Charlie himself. Spudnuts and coffee were of course provided along with some exciting barrel samples of our future releases. It’s rare that we hold those types of tours and we were thrilled to bring in our Magna Members to see what goes on behind the scenes! Once the tour ended everyone parted ways to taste at other wineries, eat lunch, and relax before an eventful fun-filled dinner.

This year food was provided by Olive Catering and man was everything delicious! Once bus’s arrived our members got to try our two new releases: 2015 Klipsun Vineyard Semillon + 2013 The Canyons Red Wine. Just to make everyone hungry, here was the menu from that evening.

Passed Appetizers

(paired with 2014 Klipsun Vineyard Optu White)

seared pork belly, pineapple

cremeux de bourgogne, cherry compote, crostini

Everyone sat down for dinner and the eating continued…

Second Course

(paired with 2013 Champoux Vineyard Merlot)

seared amberjack, english pea tapenade, crisp plantain, fava bean puree

Third Course

(paired with 2013 Optu Red Mountain + 2012 Fidelitas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon)

 truffled agnolotti, porchini currant broth

wagyu Coulotte steak, morel mushroom demi, grilled spring vegetables

Fourth Course

(paired with 2013 Klipsun Vineyard Late Harvest Semillon)

blackberry upside down cake with caramel whipped cream and candied almonds

Of course we had to add a surprise wine for members to enjoy. Right before dessert was served we threw in the 2012 Champoux Vineyard Block One Cabernet Sauvignon. And what a treat it was! This night was filled with awesome speeches, conversations, long time members (and new Magna Members!), laughs, high-fives, and hugs. Everything that our wine club is all about!

Lets add a bonus picture in the mix (hey, Jess!)...

Cheers to an amazing weekend! Already counting the days until Magna Dinner 2017.

 

Carne Asada + The Canyons Red Wine

Yesterday was the first day of summer and with it brings the onset of backyard parties and cookouts.  Summer is one of my favorite seasons here in the Northwest largely in part to the beauty that we have surrounding us.  Normally summer screams white wine or rosé but I’m here to tell you that you need to put those on hold and try our 2013 The Canyons Red Wine if you haven’t already.  It will fast become your go-to wine for those backyard parties and cookouts that summer is so famous for.  It’s made of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Malbec, all sourced from The Canyons vineyard in the upper northwest portion of the Red Mountain AVA.   

One of my family’s favorite meals is soft tacos and I think there is nothing better than a piece of marinated beef cooked over hot coals.  Usually we don’t care what is wrapped inside the soft and fluffy tortilla, only that it tastes good.   After much research and deliberation, I decided upon a recipe that I could use as a starting point for Carne Asada.  Each ingredient pairs beautifully with the well-structured tannins and delicate finish in The Canyons Red Wine.  Cheers to summer!

Carne Asada

3 whole dried ancho chilies, stems & seeds removed

2 whole dried guajillo chilies (poblano), stems & seeds removed

2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo

1 cup orange juice from fresh oranges

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

8 cloves fresh garlic

1 bunch cilantro, divided in half

1 ¼ tablespoon cumin

1 ¼ teaspoon coriander

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Kosher salt

2 pounds beef steak – skirt or flank, trimmed

Warm flour or corn tortillas, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, avocado, cilantro-lime rice, black beans for serving

Place dried chilies on microwave safe plate and heat for 20 seconds until pliable.  Place in blender and add chipotle, orange & lime juices, olive oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, half the cilantro, cumin, coriander & brown sugar.  Puree until a smooth paste forms and ingredients are well mixed.  Place beef into heavyweight zip top bag and pour half the marinade over.  Reserve remaining marinade as a serving sauce. Place bag in refrigerator and marinate for 3 hours or overnight.   When ready, heat charcoal or gas grill until hot.  Wipe excess marinade from beef and place on hot grill, turning frequently until internal temperature reaches 110 degrees F.  Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice against the grain and place inside warmed tortillas.  Enjoy with 2013 The Canyons Red Wine!

Wine Tasting 101: Smell, Sip, Savor

For many of us we are self-proclaimed wine aficionados, I know I have my moments. If you are asking my family and friends, they will tell you I am their go-to for wine knowledge. Although, I think I speak for many of us when I say, "I don’t know nearly as much as I sound like I do." Quickly after starting at Fidelitas a few years back I soon realized the most I knew about wine was how to drink it and that I only drink wines from Washington. I have since come along way and picked up great knowledge from fellow staff members, our customers, and a little lite reading along the way.

This morning I had a lovely couple who was new to wine tasting, Red Mountain, and Fidelitas Wines. I was delighted to share a few educational tips that helped them not only during their visit but hopefully on their future tasting adventures. My favorite way to taste is to smell, sip, and savor.

SMELL! First things, first…swirl and smell the wine. Swirling the wine helps to open up the aromatics within a wine. Then, don’t be shy get in there and smell your wine. Don’t think large scale while smelling a wine, start small. Try and pick out categories, red fruits, spices, smokiness, etc. These are some great characteristics to help build range and memory association. For me the hardest part is placing what I am smelling to something I am familiar with.

SIP! My favorite part, now after you have smelled the wine go ahead and give it a try. Allow the wine to hit your taste buds and think about whether you are tasting bitterness, sweetness, sour, acidity, etc. For each wine this is different based on where it is grown, oak treatments, winemaker and all of that other fun stuff that plays apart in wine tasting.

SAVOR! Now spend some time thinking about the wine, did you like the finish? Was it to fruit forward? Was it bold or soft? The number one thing when wine tasting is to decide if it was enjoyable or not. In my opinion, this is the hardest part. It is so easy to fall into old patterns and buy what we are comfortable with, but remember that you are wine tasting and exploring new things while building your palate.

This time of year is perfect for wine tasting, there are new releases and fun things happening at almost every winery, get out there and explore! Also, in case you haven’t picked up or explored a copy of Wine Folly, it’s the perfect tool for every taster.

Summertime Wines: Klipsun Semillon + The Canyons Vineyard

This June, we are releasing a special set of wines, and with the temperatures (already!) so warm, I cannot imagine a better duo for the season.  Around my house, we’ve already hosted backyard dinners, utilized the kiddie pool, and picked raspberries a full month before usual.  This weather has me craving white wines that are crisp and refreshing, and reds full of flavor and concentration for those steaks from the grill.  Before we get to enjoying, however, we have been learning about why these are such fun additions to the Fidelitas line up.

To start – we have the 2015 Klipsun Vineyard Semillon.  This is our 3rd vintage of white wines from Klipsun Vineyard, with each selling faster than the previous vintage.  In the Fidelitas line up, we make just two dry white wines, using Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, as these are two of the white wine varietals that would be found in the Bordeaux region of France.  White grapes make up less than 5% off the total crop on Red Mountain, and being one of the hottest regions in the state, we think it is quite the feat to produce a quality white wine from this notorious red wine region.

Klipsun Vineyard gives us all the fruit we need for our whites.  Not only is it one of the lowest elevation vineyards in the small, sloped, AVA, it is one of the most established and has excellent cooling winds from the Yakima River.  Charlie told me: “older vines like this are sort of self-regulating. They produce the right yield and crop, we just have to know when to pick.”  In the hottest vintage on record, picking earlier than usual (like my raspberries) was the key.  This wine has me dreaming of buffalo mozzarella and peaches.

Our next release comes from a brand new vineyard for us.  The Canyons Vineyard lies along the western border of the AVA, just north of Klipsun.  The name comes from the deep ravines within the vineyard, that funnel air up from the river below.  Currently, Fidelitas is sourcing Cabernet Sauvignon (clones 4, 6, and 21) from blocks planted in 2009 and not too far from our own Fidelitas Estate Vineyard, so Charlie is watching these vines with great interest as our own site develops.  In addition, we are pulling a unique clone of Malbec, clone 9, from one the blocks that dips way down in to one of the vineyard’s ravines. (side note: last summer, I drove the staff through this block in a rented SUV. They were all quite nervous, but we’re here today to tell the story.)

2013 The Canyons Vineyard Red Wine is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Malbec.  In my house, it’ll be our go to for summer grilling and casual nights with friends.  It’s approachable, fruit forward, and great with food.  Following my fancy buffalo mozzarella salad, I’m going to do some nice burgers with Skillet’s bacon jam (make sure to try it at Summer in the City!) and settle in to my summer evening with this red blend.

Cheers to you all.  I hope your summer is full of great wine and friends.

If you haven't already, check out everyvine.com. Cool stuff. This shot shows the steep canyons cutting through the middle of the vineyard. Our Malbec clock is in orange. The Cabernet Sauvignon is the dark green in the lower right. The Fidelitas Estate Vineyard is just beyond that, to the southeast.

Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon. "The Winemakers Clone", planted about 400 yards from the Clone 6 in our 2015 Estate planting.

And they didn't trust me to drive on these roads...  Malbec in Block 11, tipping into one of the canyons. Charlie says, "check out that slope!"

View of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from the north blocks of Merlot.

 

 

Summer With Fidelitas

Summer plans are in full force and we sure hope that Fidelitas will be part of yours!

With our new offering of Friday Tastings in Woodinville, Elevated Tastings for you and your friends, and the ability to reserve patio space on Red Mountain, there are so many options that could fit into your schedule.

We started Friday Tastings in Woodinville last fall and it was a hit! An hour of tasting with Kathleen, what could be better? These are held every other Friday starting at 6pm and includes cheese + charcuterie plates with space being limited. The next tasting is on Friday, June 3rd so be sure to sign up with Amy, our Woodinville Tasting Room Manager, before it fills up!

If Fridays aren’t a good day for you then do not fear! You can now schedule Elevated Tastings at either location (or Charles Fromage!) for you and your guests any day and any time. Do you only like Cabernet Sauvignon? Blends? Great! These tastings can be customized and also include tableside service.  We all know how crazy our Woodinville location can be and having a guaranteed table for your tasting can make things easier on you.

Oh, you just want to relax and look out at vineyards while the sun goes down? We had a feeling. That is why you can now reserve seats on our Red Mountain patio. Bring some food, a little water misting fan, and buy a bottle of wine to enjoy next time you are at our Red Mountain tasting room. Contact Chelsea, our Red Mountain Tasting Room Manager, for more information.

Team Fidelitas appreciates each and every one of our customers. And that is why we want to give you the best experience every time you pay us a visit. Summer always goes by so fast, so be sure to include us in those fun filled months.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

#FidelitasRoadshow

Last summer a few faithful members in Bellingham, Washington ordered some wine in the heat of August when sadly, it was too hot to ship. Jess and I got the grand idea to throw the cases in the back of the trusty Subaru and head an hour north to deliver their wine directly to them. "Hey, let's make an evening of it!" we thought. So our members invited a couple of friends, and the friends invited some friends, and next thing we knew Fidelitas was main stage at a dinner party on Lake Whatcom. It was beautiful! But even more than that, we had an amazing time introducing new faces to Fidelitas and creating a fun experience for our members. Check out the view!

While sipping a glass of Quintessence Cab and watching this amazing sunset, a light bulb went off and became the idea for #FidelitasRoadshow. 

This past weekend Charlie and Team Fidelitas set off on our first journey of the year and took #FidelitasRoadshow across the mountains to Bozeman, Montana for a winemaker dinner at The Food Studio. Charlie led the tasting through wines paired with each course specially prepared by Chef Daniel Wendell. Everyone loved hearing Charlie's vast wine knowledge and history and the story of how Fidelitas came to be. Plus the food was delicious! It was my first time trying bone marrow...and I liked it! 

Next up we'll be hitting Portland, Oregon on June 12th! This two-part event will have a grand tasting at Plaza del Toro in SE Portland from 1-4pm where we'll debut our 2015 Klipsun Vineyard Semillon and 2013 The Canyons Red Wine. Members and friends are invited to join at no cost, just let us know if you plan to swing by! Then following the tasting the culinary team at Plaza del Toro has created a 5-course dinner menu to pair with Fidelitas wines. This winemaker dinner is a great way to rub elbows with Charlie and enjoy the finer things in life...wine and food, of course! Let me know if you're interested in purchasing tickets and we'll reserve your seat at the table! 

Where's #FidelitasRoadshow headed next... maybe Bend? Charleston? DC? Send us your vote and maybe we'll come to your city next! 

Designed with the Club in Mind

I recently sat down with my staff to think about the real benefits of being a Club member, beyond just what we print in the Club brochure.  Every member of Team Fidelitas contributed their ideas, and we came up with over 2 pages of notes.  From that exercise, one of the items that stuck out to me most is that we truly make wines just for Club members.

Now – that is an easy thing to say for some.  “Club-exclusive” is a common thing to see at wineries.  However, I realized that it is so much more than that at Fidelitas.  One of part of my job is to work with Charlie and design how our releases will look up to 3 years in advance.  Already, we are talking about which wines we want to make from grapes that will be harvested this upcoming fall.  That means, we are having discussions about how much fruit to buy 5 months from now to make a wine that won’t be released until 3 years from now.  We are looking at spreadsheets, and forecasts, and weather patterns, just to determine what wines we’ll make for just our Club members.  This isn’t an after the fact decision.  Your Club allocation is truly chosen by Charlie 3 years before you will take it home.  Over the course of those 3 years, Charlie is ensuring that wine in your allocation is “one of the best we’ve ever made” (one of our favorite Charlie-isms).

Our 2013 Red Heaven Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is exactly one of those wines.  We make this wine in exceptional vintages, where the fruit is just perfect to make a vineyard designated wine.  After much fussing, we settled on making just 96 cases - not even enough to include in a Club shipment, but still special enough to make sure that it is a Club only wine.  Designed, starting in spring of 2013, with the Club in mind.  

Charlie, walking the vines in Red Heaven Vineyard.

Red Mountain is Our Home

“Red Mountain is our Home,” if you have heard this once you’ll hear it again. From Team Fidelitas spreading the word in the tasting room, to the stunning views overlooking The Fidelitas Estate Vineyard, Red Mountain can be seen and heard in every conversation, every sip of wine, and every memory our members make. 

As many of you know, our tasting room first opened on Red Mountain in 2007. Over the years we have shared the story of Fidelitas and how we got started and now we are entering the next chapter of our story. Fidelitas is now sourcing all of their fruit off of Red Mountain. Charlie hand selects the fruit from each vineyard and crafts each wine with our club members in mind. This truly is a one of a kind winery that showcases the finest quality of fruit with our members who are able to gain first access to everything that is released.  

Our members are now able to reserve a space in the tasting room or on the patio while enjoying a customized tasting and taking in the view of our vineyard and the place we get to call home. 

For many of our members who have been with us since the beginning, they remember the past vintages that graced our glass and look forward to the vintages that are growing along Red Mountain. From the top of Red Mountain where we first met The Quintessence Vineyard, down Antinori Road, past Red Heaven and the Red Mountain Vineyard, over to the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, our tried and true favorite, to just up the road and around the corner to the Canyons Vineyard which will make its debut later this June, and everyone else who make up our favorite AVA. There are so many great memories and moments to be shared on Red Mountain.

So grab a glass, have a seat on the patio and welcome to the place we call home. 

Bud Break + the Fidelitas Wine Club

Bud break happened on Red Mountain a couple of weeks ago and in my eyes, it draws a parallel with our wine club.  How so you say? On the outside of the bud, all you see are a couple of leaves, slowing unfurling.  On the inside though are many things to come.  On the outside of our wine club you may only see your discount or free tasting, but in reality, there is so much more.

With tasting rooms in two locations (Woodinville and Red Mountain), you can have a variety of experiences.  Our relentless customer service in both Woodinville and Red Mountain provides you the opportunity to connect with our amazing staff members who are experts on the Red Mountain AVA, the place we call home. On Red Mountain, you can reserve a table in the tasting room or on the patio for you and your friends to enjoy a bottle with the absolutely amazing view.  Tables may also be reserved in Woodinville for a personalized experience for you and your guests.

Did you know that as of 2015, Fidelitas is sourcing 100% of our grapes from Red Mountain?  This translates to providing our members with some of the best wines in Washington. We release new, exclusive wines to club members prior to releasing them (if at all!) to the general public. Most of these wines can only be purchased at the winery and you must be a member to get them.  As a club member, you have the ability to try these new releases, many of which are higher priced wines.

Just like the new Cabernet bud unfurls its leaves and continues to show its hidden features, so does our wine club.  The benefits may seem shallow on the outside, but on the inside they are deep and rich, just like our wines.

Putting Your Concierge to Work

As most of you know, my position with Fidelitas doesn't just consists of helping members with shipments and orders. I get to serve as the concierge for our members and am available for trip planning assistance, gift giving services, party planning and much more.

Think back to the first time you visited Fidelitas or placed your first order. I can remember so many exchanges where we met as strangers and left as friends, you probably even got a hug out of one of us. I’m lucky in the fact that I get to reconnect with members on a regular basis.

Recently I worked together with one Optu member from Western Washington to help plan her Wine Tasting trip through Prosser, Red Mountain, and the Tri-Cities with no shortage of stops at wineries and restaurants, and even helped her to find a local hotel with discounted winery rates.

An FLT member from New Mexico came over to see us at Taste Washington this past weekend, and it only took seconds for us to be able to recognize him by name. We met his family and by the end of their quick tasting at this massive event, his sister from Arizona became a Club Member too. We aren’t kidding when we say ‘join the Fidelitas family’ because to us, Charlie, and many of our members, that’s exactly what this membership is. It’s a way to come together and enjoy the best things in life… wine and friendships.

Another wonderful member in Nebraska (Hi Jerry!) contacted me because he read about our wines and had decided he wanted to become a member. At that time, we didn’t possess the permit to ship there, but Jerry and I worked together to muster up a few more fans in the area and get the permit. We’re now planning a trip for Fidelitas to bring a tasting party to our Nebraska following!

Maybe your Fidelitas story is more traditional. Say you had our wines at a restaurant or maybe you stopped by one of our tasting rooms and enjoyed visiting with Team Fidelitas so much that you couldn’t leave without signing up. We look forward to sending you a reminder of that experience each and every time we send out a club shipment and strive to get to know each and every member a little bit better upon each release. This is how we can tailor your Wine Club experience to be a perfect fit for you.

Have you been thinking about joining the club or always had a question on your mind regarding your membership?  Maybe you just feel like chatting about soil types on Red Mountain (don’t we all!) or about a wine tasting party you’re throwing… give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to meeting you if I haven’t had the chance to yet!  

Just a typical day at the office... I wish!