Fidelitas Wines

Optu in Photos

 

As we say farewell to #WaWineMonth lets look back at some of our favorite Optu moments...

 

The Best Vintage Yet

“I think it’s our best vintage yet.” I can’t count how many times I’ve heard Charlie utter this statement about our newest release. Usually I just laugh and mutter an ‘okay Chuck’. I've thought hard about this statement: Best Vintage Yet. What does that mean exactly? Does it mean that previous vintages weren't good? No. It means that the newest vintage is the optimum example of the great wines we produce.

Each vintage we learn more about the region we call home and about the vineyards we’re sourcing from and what characteristics come from the grapes planted there. Now we’re even getting down to the root and specifically choosing which clones are going to give us the perfect balance for our blends. We know the optimal time to pick the grapes because we’ve experienced heat waves (such as 2012-2013) and we’ve experienced cold spells (such as 2010-2011). Over the years we’ve experimented with barrels and aging and know what grapes hold up well with French Oak or American Oak treatment. But beyond that, we’ve got Charlie. Not just a winemaker, but a man who has spent over a quarter century making wine in Washington, that’s a long time in this relatively young industry. His experience gives him the knowledge and skills needed to create wines that are going to knock your socks off, every time. Each vintage he puts under his belt he’s producing wines that are better than ever before.

Our Optu Red Mountain is one of the most fun wines to track each year. Each vintage Charlie blends his favorite grapes to create this optimum blend. Each vintage has a make-up that’s a little bit different from the last. Some years, the blend is nearly the same as the last because those grapes are just that good, but often you’ll find an emerging vineyard making its way into the blend or a new varietal from an old favorite vineyard. We hear stories from members (and even our own staff) who have hosted 10+ year vertical tasting parties featuring this Bordeaux style blend. This wine never ceases to amaze you upon release and it’s a treat to open up after a few years in the cellar. We couldn’t be more excited for the release of the 13th vintage because we know without doubt that ‘it’s our best vintage yet.’ 

to purchase the 2013 Optu Red Mountain click here.

What's Your Favorite Vintage?

In celebration of Taste Washington Wine Month and our signature Optu wine, I thought it might be fun to ask Team Fidelitas a very important question. What is your favorite vintage of the Optu? Let’s just say…this wine will forever be number #1 in our hearts.

Michelle: “2010 Optu Red Mountain. This wine was released just before I started working for Fidelitas so it has a special place in my heart, plus it’s one of the most unique! This vintage was Merlot based which I’m a sucker for and it was the first vintage sourced entirely from Red Mountain supporting the new name, Optu Red Mountain.”

Jess: “2002! First vintage where we called it Optu instead of Meritage. I secured some from the library when I first started and the quality and age ability blew me away! I also have a fond memory of drinking this wine while watching the sun set over Fremont in my old condo.”

Charlie: “I generally like the Optu from vintages that I have liked our other wines. The 2009 stands out as a great one and is tasting fantastic right now. Another would be our new release of the 2013, this one is probably my favorite out of the vintages that were sourced from Red Mountain.”

Amy: “Hmm…2013 is my favorite vintage because it features my favorites: raspberry on the nose and blackberries on the palate. My favorite Red Mountain vineyards are also featured in the vintage: Quintessence, Fidelitas Estate, Red Heaven, and Ciel du Cheval.”

Chelsea: “2012, this vintage has 77% Cabernet and small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It was the first vintage that was sourced from Quintessence (my new favorite vineyard) and had the first tasting of Fidelitas Estate vineyard, it truly shows the beauty and quality of Red Mountain fruit as well as the future of Fidelitas.”

As for myself, I have loved every vintage of the Optu that I have tried. When I first started with Fidelitas this was the one wine that stood out to me. From the way it tasted to the story behind it. It didn’t take me long to realize why this wine was so important to the winery. In my (almost) two year of being here, the Optu has been at every party, gathering, and meeting (yes wine is involved in our meetings, who would have thought!?). And because of that, every memory I have of my awesome team and our great club parties involves the Optu.

Optu Beef Stew

It’s #WaWineMonth and Spring is nearly upon us!  The birds are chirping and the trees are starting to bloom!  Spring has also sprung at Fidelitas, as we have just released our 2013 Optu Red Mountain, our big Bordeaux blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.  It begins with aromas of Bing Cherry and Raspberry and continues with a palate of concentrated blackberry, plum, and violets along with slight minerality. It has a lengthy finish with full, chewy tannins. 

You may think that warm beef stew is winter fare however, Optu Beef Stew with Polenta paired with 2013 Optu Red Mountain is anything but.  The wine is big, bold, and bright and the stew is rich and delicious.  Rounding everything out is the creamy polenta.  It truly is a match made in heaven and would be a fantastic addition to your menu this week.

Optu Beef Stew with Polenta

For the stew:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, cut into large dice

4 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

4 stalks celery, cut into ½ inch pieces

2 ½ pounds beef stew meat, excess fat removed and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 ½ cups Optu Red Mountain red wine

6 springs fresh Thyme

4 medium tomatoes, halved

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the polenta:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup polenta

To make the stew:

Heat olive oil in large, heavy saucepan until hot but not smoking.  Add vegetables and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides.  Add wine and thyme and bring to a boil.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beef is tender.  Once beef is tender, remove tomato skins and thyme sprigs.  Transfer to serving bowl.

To make the polenta:

In a large, heavy pot, bring stock to a boil.  Add polenta and stir constantly until thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and keep warm.

Serve the beef stew alongside the polenta with glass of 2013 Optu Red Mountain.

 

Optu: the Wine that Started it All

From Jess: this is a repost from last February. However, as we are entering Taste Washington Wine Month and releasing our 14th vintage of Optu Red, I felt like it was worth sharing again.

Last fall I heard Kathleen in the tasting room introduce the Optu Red Mountain as "the wine that started it all." I love that phrase because it really does stand for everything that is Optu and Fidelitas. A product that has grown with Charlie as a winemaker and Fidelitas as a Red Mountain focused winery, while always representing the best fruit and vineyards in a given vintage.

Each year at Taste Washington, we feature the Optu Red Mountain, and it never fails to delight all that visit our table on that busy weekend. We hope to see you there to taste the newest addition to the legacy of the wine that started it all.

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I came to work with Fidelitas in 2008, just as we were releasing the 2005 vintage reds.  The tasting room on Red Mountain had been open for a year, but everyone had their stories of where they had experienced Fidelitas before then.  For me, I first met Charlie at Canon de Sol (years before starting with Fidelitas), and then again in the Sandhill building.  At one point in time, I was lucky enough to get a tour of Red Mountain with Charlie before so many of the great vineyards of today were even planted.

I’ve noticed that most stories have Optu woven in somewhere.  My aunt recalls when she ordered some wine as a gift and Charlie delivered the case of 2002 Optu Red Wine to her door, case perched on his shoulder.  The 2005 and 2006 vintages were very popular in distribution and so we picked up several new Fidelitas fans who had the wine at their favorite wine bar.  This is the wine that has been with us from the beginning, representing our optimum blend of vineyards and varietals from each vintage.

And so now, a brief history of our signature blend, which started as Meritage, became Optu Red Wine, and now represents the region we call home as Optu Red Mountain.  Optu first debuted in the 2000 vintage, and is now being released in its 13th variation as the Fidelitas 2012 Optu Red Mountain.

The 2000 Fidelitas Meritage debuted as a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot.  Our first vintage was limited to just 375 cases of this one wine.  We kept the Meritage name and this bottle through the 2001 vintage (a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Malbec) and gave the wine a friend with the addition of Columbia Valley Syrah.

2002 is perhaps our most exciting vintage by packaging standards, and the origin of the name OPTU.  I also happen to LOVE this vintage and was lucky enough to hoard some for several years.  A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 9% Malbec.  I believe that this is the first wine we included some Red Mountain fruit in, with 10% of the make up coming from Red Mountain Vineyard.  We bumped the line up to a total of 6 products in this vintage, most notably with the introduction of Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

By 2003, we came up with a design for the bottle that has stuck with us through the 2013 white wines.  This is a great time for a shout out to our tireless designer, Joe Farmer of Whizbang Studio.  He does awesome work and is a truly nice guy.  Back to the wine…2003 Optu Red Wine is comprised of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc.  We basically exploded to 9 products in this vintage with the addition of 2 white wines: the Columbia Valley Semillon and Elerding Chardonnay!

2004 sticks out in my mind as one of my favorites during the 10 Vintages of Optu dinner (also known as the flying salad dinner).  53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec…our first blend using all 5 Bordeaux varietals.

In 2005 we introduced the linebacker bottles.  Big shoulders, heavier than anything, and could only fit in 6-packs.  It seemed like a fun idea until people complained about the bottles not fitting in their cellars.  This only lasted us through 2 vintages… 2005 Optu is still showing fabulously now (as evidenced by my 05 Party), as a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot.  In this vintage, we also debuted our first Red Mountain dedicated wine, the 2005 Red Mountain Merlot, and created the Boushey Red Wine as a tribute to Dick Boushey’s 25Th anniversary.

In 2006, Optu was made up of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.  My fondest memory from this vintage was Charlie saying…"sure, you can lay them down, but why? They’re great now!”  We also introduced Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage.

2007 brought another packaging change for some of our wines, thinner bottles, and one of Charlie’s favorite vintages.  07 Optu showcased 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 9% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot.  We were at 15 products by this point in time with the addition of Red Mountain Red Wine, Red Mountain Merlot, and Red Mountain Cabernet Franc.  We also gave Charlie the challenge of focusing just on Bordeaux varietals, and so Syrah fell away from the line up after 2006.  2008 stayed in the same bottled with 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec.  2009 also got to stick in the same bottle (that’s a record!) and is made up of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec.  This still stands out as one of my favorite vintages and I am squirrling away as many bottles as possible.

2010 was a turning point for Fidelitas, and for Optu.  In this vintage, we released the Optu Red Mountain…a blend dedicated just to the region we call home.  Still a blend, this vintage also favored Merlot with 53%, then 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot.  Love this wine.  We got to keep the Merlot dominance in the 2011 vintage of Optu Red Mountain with a blend of 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and16% Cabernet Franc.  This vintage sold out in about 2 months.  Lucky for those in the Wine Club!

And so now, we end with the current release, our 13th vintage of what is now known as Optu Red Mountain.  A big, bold wine at this point in time, that is worthy of time in the cellar for sure as a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.  By this point in time, we have 18 red wines and 2 white wines: all Bordeaux-varietals, and 90% Red Mountain grown with the exception of some lasting vineyard relationships that are too good to pass up.

 

This blog post took me way longer to compose than I intended, but I think it’s because I truly do feel a connection to Optu.  It was fun to go back through the vintages and remember different times that I’ve had the wines myself.  If anyone has an Optu memory to add, I’d love to hear it.

 

Malbec Madness

As many of us know, Team Fidelitas was counting down the days to the recently released 2013 Red Mountain Malbec. This is our first vintage of Malbec that is sourced entirely off of Red Mountain, the place we call home. How did we celebrate this joyous occasion? We celebrated with our 2nd Annual Malbec Madness Event, complete with sliders and an “All Black” theme to replicate our black on black bottle. 

If you haven’t had a chance to visit either Red Mountain or our Woodinville tasting room come see us and we will give you a taste of the 2013 Red Mountain Malbec before it’s gone!

Super Bowl 50 + Fidelitas

 Super Bowl 50 is upon us once again.  This year, why not change things up a bit and try some new game day snacks and drinks?  We’ve paired some tried and true, along with some new appetizers with our Fidelitas lineup and we think you’ll agree that you will come out the winner.

Our just released 2013 Red Mountain Malbec is nothing short of spectacular. With its bright palate and juicy notes of boysenberry, raspberry and baking spices, it finishes with subtle, lingering tannins. This wine would be fantastic paired with your favorite Chili.  Or try pairing them with Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos.  

Graham’s Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

½ cup green onions, chopped

1 pound bacon, sliced, then cut in half

½ cup favorite Barbeque sauce

12-15 whole, fresh jalapenos

Using gloved hands, slice jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane and set aside on parchment lined baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and green onion. Mix well. Fill jalapenos with cream cheese mixture and wrap with one half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Brush the tops of the bacon with BBQ sauce. Bake at 300 for 45 minutes or until bacon is done. Makes 24-30.

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The 2014 Klipsun Vineyard Optu White is a shoo-in paired with your favorite Spinach Artichoke Dip or Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese. Our favorite is Optu Shrimp, a spicy concoction of cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes and Optu White.  

Amy’s Optu Shrimp

¼ cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds raw shrimp, 26-30 per pound, peeled, deveined, tail on

1 cup Optu White Wine, divided

¼ cup lime juice

2 T fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/8 t kosher salt

1 T crushed red pepper flakes

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add olive oil and garlic and saute 10 seconds.  Add shrimp and ½ cup Optu White wine.  Cook until shrimp are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Drain shrimp and add to glass bowl.  Add lime juice, reserved ½ cup Optu White wine, cilantro, salt and red pepper flakes.  Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight. Drain before serving.  Serves 10-12 as an appetizer

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Our 2012 Merlot line-up is amazing and any of them (Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain Merlot, Champoux Merlot) would be delightful paired with Twice Baked Loaded Potato Skins or Cubano Sandwiches.  Each one represents Red Mountain well and would be a great addition to your Super Bowl table.

Our 2012  Ciel du Cheval Red Wine is a delicious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. With notes of black fruit and a hint of toasted oak, it would be fantastic paired with Teriyaki Meatballs or the classic favorite, 7 Layer Dip.

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The 2012 Boushey Red Wine is a delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.  It is silky and aromatic and would pair beautifully with Garlic Tomato Bruschetta or Lu’s Homemade Mac n’ Cheese. Both recipes are listed here and would be a fantastic addition to your Super Bowl line up.

Shelley’s Garlic Tomato Bruschetta

3 T fresh basil

 3 garlic cloves, minced

4 or 5 tomatoes, medium sized, diced

1/4tsp pepper  

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 loaf unsliced French bread

2T parmesan cheese, grated

In a large bowl, combine basil, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cut bread into 24 slices; toast under broiler until lightly browned. Top with tomato mixture. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 servings.

Lu’s Homemade Mac n’ Cheese

1 lb Barilla Elbow Macaroni

4 T butter

8 oz cream cheese, whipped

4 cups milk

2 t Worcestershire sauce

2 t salt

Pepper to taste

4 cups cheese, shredded (**See note**)

 

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly coat a 9x13 pan with canola spray. In separate bowl, combine milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and flour. Mix until flour is dissolved. Set aside. Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. Immediately put macaroni in prepared pan and add butter. Stir and add cream cheese. Mix well. Add milk mixture and cheese and mix well again. Bake for 35 minutes. The last 5 minutes, turn the broiler on and caramelize the top of the mac n’ cheese.  Serves 6-8.

**Note**  Cheese is the star ingredient here. Lu suggests using 4 cups of Habanero cheese if you like it hot or 3 cups of sharp cheddar (Beecher’s is a favorite) and 1 cup of Habanero.  You can also do 2 cups of cheddar and 2 cups of pepper jack.  Just be sure to use a good, sharp cheddar!

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Try pairing our 2012 Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon with our Offensive Line Beef Bites.  The wine is full-bodied with black fruit notes on the palate and would complement the shaved rare Prime Rib and Aged Cheddar in the bites.

Offensive Line Beef Bites

1 box Triscuit brand crackers

½ pound Prime Rib, Rare, shaved

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ pound Aged White Cheddar cheese (such as Beecher’s)

Spread Dijon mustard on each cracker and top with shaved beef and aged Cheddar. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8

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Who could forget dessert? The classic characteristics of cherry, raspberry & vanilla of our 2012 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon would be perfect match for Caramel Corn with Chocolate and Bacon.

Beth’s Caramel Corn

24 cups popped popcorn (1 ½ - 2 cups unpopped kernels)

nonstick cooking spray

1 cup Butter

2 cups firmly-packed brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 250F. Coat the bottom and sides of a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place popped popcorn in large bowl or container.

In a heavy pan, slowly melt butter; stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly; boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and vanilla. Beware - this will foam up so work quickly and make sure the pot is big enough! Gradually pour over popped popcorn, use two large spoons to mix well. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely. Break apart and store in tightly-covered container.

Add-ins:

Fry minced bacon until just done, (not crispy) and drain.  Add to caramel corn before baking.

Drizzle melted Dark chocolate over cooled caramel corn.

Add salted peanuts to caramel corn before baking.

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We hope that we’ve piqued your interest with our wine and appetizer pairings and look forward to seeing you in our Tasting Rooms soon in preparation for the big game on Sunday, February 7th.  Both Tasting Rooms will be closed on Sunday, so be sure to stop on before then to stock up on your favorite wines.

To be Faithful, Loyal, and True

FAITHFUL, LOYAL, TRUE. 

Where do these words come from?

Translated from Latin, Fidelitas means faithful, loyal, and true.  Think about the word fidelity and it starts to make sense.  Ponder our logo, realize the circle is not an O, it’s a ring or circle of fidelity, and it makes a bit more sense.  Know Charlie Hoppes and it all comes together.

Charlie and his wife, Terri, have been married for 33 years.  They started their family as Charlie started his winemaking career.  When they launched their own family winery in 2000, Charlie looked to Terri’s family for the name, settling on Fidelis (extended to Fidelitas).  Like his winemaking style, Charlie’s approach to life is simple and pure.  Honor those who are important to you, respect everyone, and don’t sweat the small stuff.  Knowing him is knowing what it is to be faithful, loyal, and true.

Charlie, Terri, and their first daughter, Emily. Photo taken within the year Charlie first discovered Red Mountain fruit.

I don’t say all of these nice thing about my boss because my annual review is coming up, but because these 3 words have truly permeated all aspects of our business.  We are faithful to grape varieties from the Bordeaux region of France (with a particular soft spot for Cabernet Sauvignon), loyal to modern craft winemaking techniques, and true to Red Mountain’s unique terroir.  My team here aims to show everyone how they are faithful, loyal, and true through the relationships we have with visitors, members, and one another.

Each February, we celebrate the region we call home: Red Mountain.  We host special tastings of our Red Mountain wines, and offer our customers the chance to stock up on some truly special releases. We hope that you’ll join us in the tasting rooms, or bring some Red Mountain in to your home so you can celebrate being faithful, loyal, and true along with us.

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Celebrate in the tasting rooms!

Join us Valentine’s Day weekend (February 13 + 14) for special Red Mountain wine flights and sweet treats. DETAILS

Club Members are invited to join us February 20 + 21 during our Release Weekend with a tasting of the new Optu Red Mountain and Red Mountain Merlot, along with a few nibbles. Please note: Woodinville will be open to Members ONLY both Saturday and Sunday. Red Mountain will be open for all visitors with a designated Club area. DETAILS

Celebrate with your Sweetheart!

Order 2012 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, as we spotlight one of our staff favorites at a very special price. Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine we make each year to feature the unique characteristics of Cabernet from the Red Mountain AVA, using Clone 8 Cabernet from top Red Mountain vineyards. Toast your true love with Red Mountain Cabernet and we’ll toss in a couple truffles for you to enjoy as well.

Order by February 7th to have 2-Day Air shipping included in the price of a 6-bottle purchase.

2013 Malbec - a New Chapter

The upcoming release of our 2013 Malbec opens a new chapter in our effort to move closer to only making wines produced from grapes grown in the Red Mountain AVA.  In years past we have been able to source Malbec from a wide range of sources from throughout he Columbia Valley.  2013 will be our inaugural Red Mountain release and I think you will see a notable change from our previous style.

Don’t get me wrong, I like our previous Malbecs from the Columbia Valley but I think you will see a change that will be a reflection of Red Mountain.  What is that change, you ask?  Our previous vintages of Columbia Valley Malbec go back to the 2004 vintage.  I remember getting a little bit of fruit in to play around with and to see if it would work in our Optu blend. Optu is a blend we have made from every vintage going back to 2000. I liked it so much that we decided to do a small bottling from that vintage of 96 cases.  I had worked with some of the first plantings of Malbec in Washington when I was the winemaker at Chateau Ste Michelle from 1990 to 1998.  That fruit came off of Canoe Ridge Estate, planted in 1993, near Paterson and I knew it could add a new layer to the wines we were making.  One of the noticeable characteristics of most Malbec is an inherent peppery or spice component. This has been a common component throughout our Malbec from 2004 to 2012.

The 2013 Malbec – Red Mountain is different from any Malbec we have made previously.  The biggest change to me initially is the great concentration of the wine.  This is common amongst Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot.  Malbec is no different.  When I say concentration it is true reflection of tannin and fruit balance. You will see this in a lot of Fidelitas Red Mountain wines.  For me another characteristic that is less noticeable is the peppery, spice flavor on the palate.  It is still there but not nearly as noticeable as previous vintages.

The 2013 Red Mountain Malbec comes from three different vineyards, those being Scooteney Flats – 54%, Kiona – 29% & The Canyons – 17%.  These are three well established vineyards on Red Mountain.

For Fidelitas I would compare 2012 & 2103 on the same level.  I know most media and trade have put 2012 up as one of the best vintages ever in Washington but I would put 2013 right up there with 2012 for what we are doing.  Enjoy the latest chapter!

 

read more from Charlie on his blog, Red Mountain Rising.

Cheers to the New Year: a Note from Charlie

Dear Friends of Fidelitas,

We had some great milestones this year, planting in our estate vineyard and releasing an estate wine. It's truly been a dream come true. Coming in the next year we have some amazing wines for you coming from our favorite vineyards on Red Mountain.

This year was the release of our first ever Estate Vineyard wine from our initial 3 acre planting from 2009: our 2012 Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Starting my career in 1988, I could hardly imagine not only having a family-owned Vineyard on Red Mountain, but also being fortunate enough to produce a wine from those vines.  This has been a long time coming…perhaps the biggest milestone in my career to date. This wine is a representation of the premium Estate wine you can expect from Fidelitas. From hand selecting the perfect clones and using only the very best barrels, we made sure to pull out all the stops to create this beautiful wine. With only 50 cases remaining, you’ll want to be sure that you have this special bottle in your cellar before it’s gone.

The process to get water for irrigation to Red Mountain has been in the works for at least twenty years. This past spring, water became available through KID, and we were able to go forward with planting the remainder of our Estate Vineyard. My dream of owning an Estate Vineyard on Red Mountain is finally complete. We’ve been anxiously awaiting this since we initially purchased our home on Red Mountain back in 2007. Dick Boushey and his skilled crew worked hard to prepare the estate for the arrival of water. Dick and I obsessed over which Bordeaux varietals would excel in the Fidelitas Estate Vineyard and hand selected a variety of grapes and clones which we know and love, along with others that we are excited to experiment with in the years to come. In total we have about twelve acres in vine just outside our back door on Red Mountain. Our first release of this new planting should come from the 2017 vintage and we can’t wait to share these premium Estate wines with you.

Looking forward, we couldn’t be more excited about the 2013 wines to be released in the year ahead. Just this last week I tasted through each one of the wines which we will release in 2016 and I am very excited about how they are coming along. You’ll be seeing more wines from some of our favorite vineyards such as Quintessence and Ciel du Cheval and new to the line up: The Canyons Vineyard. I think the upcoming 2013 vintage is as good, if not better than the 2012 vintage. Each year that we work with these vineyards on Red Mountain we gain more knowledge about them and are able improve our winemaking techniques. I believe the best could be yet to come from Fidelitas.

Fidelitas exists as a winery because of our faithful customers.  To each and every one of you, thank you for your continued support.  Many of you have been around since the start of our wine club, others have joined in the more recent years or months, and the loyalty from each one of you is invaluable. We look forward to sharing many more milestones with you. Thank you and happy New Year.

 

Cheers!

Charlie Hoppes, Fidelitas Owner + Winemaker