Fidelitas Wines

Words From A Loyal Fidelitas Member

When we hear things like this from our members, we just have to share them with you! We welcome guest writer/blogger and beloved Club member Melinda Knapp to the Fidelitas Blog. This is what Melinda had to say about our most recent event...

"They say that “membership has its benefits”, at least according to American Express.  The same could be said for being a member of the Fidelitas family.  I have been a wine club member at Fidelitas for a little over 7 years.  I’ve attended numerous events not only at their winery on Red Mountain, but also at their tasting room in Woodinville.  They have always been well thought out and enjoyable!  This year’s Magna Dinner on Red Mountain was no exception.  We braved the triple digit temps this past weekend and drove over the hill because I knew we had a treat in store for us.

Saturday morning started off with a very informative tour of the estate vineyard, so we could see firsthand the new plantings.  Hearing Charlie talk about the different clones that were planted makes me very excited for the future of Fidelitas wines!  There is even a row in the estate vineyard with each clone planted right next to each other, so that as they grow and mature you will be able to see the differences in the vine and the fruit.  Very cool and educational.

Dinner that evening was thoughtfully moved inside in the A/C, as the temps outside at 7:00pm were still in the mid-90s.  The tables were dressed simply with these really cool centerpieces of baby vines.  There were some passed appetizers to start, served with the newly release 2014 Semillion.  The crispy purple cauliflower was my favorite.  The salad course was a farmer’s market feast with greens, peas, radishes and asparagus.  It paired beautifully with the 2014 Optu White.  Our main course had a lovely selection of grilled meats and vegetables along with a very unique and tasty squash and farro bake.  With those we sipped on Champoux Magna Red Blend, Optu Red & Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon all from the 2012 vintage.  Then we watched the sun set over the estate vineyard creating this beautiful orange and pink canvas on the sky.  A perfect end to a perfect evening.  Thank you again Fidelitas for treating me and all your wine club members like family."

Thank you to Melinda and the rest of our loyal members! We cant wait for the next event here at Fidelitas.

Semillon in Summer

The time has finally arrived! Our 2014 Klipsun Vineyard Semillon has been released and it was well worth the wait. I was able to pick Charlie’s brain because I wanted to understand why this white does so well in such a hot AVA like Red Mountain. His answer was not a surprise to me, vineyard management. Klipsun vineyard is a much more established vineyard on Red Mountain and is owned by Patricia and David Gelles but managed by Julia Kock. They grow many varietals but only two whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. With vines dating back to 1982 they have a grasp for what is most important when focusing on helping a white grape thrive. But who cares about the technical stuff…

 This Semillon has zero residual sugar and is a dry, crisp, fruity and refreshing white to enjoy on your patio in this beautiful summer weather. If you like our Optu White which is 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon, then this Semillon is sure to hit every one of your taste buds. It has beautiful aromas with notes of citrus, melon, and grapefruit that pair perfectly with your picnic salad. Be sure to come to our tasting rooms to enjoy a taste and buy yourself a bottle, or four, to have on hand for your summer parties!

Happy Birthday, Red Mountain!

How could we not celebrate the birthday of an AVA that is so dear to our hearts? Red Mountain was established as an American Viticultural Area on April 3rd, 2001. It all started with Jim Holmes (of Ciel du Cheval Vineyards) and John Williams, great pioneers of this lovely place we call home. Both men were trying to purchase inexpensive property in the 1970s and stumbled upon an area that seemed to have been deserted. They were able to purchase land for roughly $200/acre (what?!) and the planting began. Once some of the first wines had been produced people started to recognize what an amazing place Red Mountain actually was. Now, fourteen years later, there are 4,040 acres on Red Mountain and its home to some of the most sought after vineyards in Washington.

What did this birthday party consist of? Cupcakes, popcorn, balloons, and wine! All of the ingredients to make for a perfect evening in both of our tasting rooms. The party went from 5-7pm and we poured all of our delicious wines sourced from Red Mountain.

2012 4040 Blend

2012 Optu Red Mountain Blend

2012 Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2010 Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Klipsun Vineyard Late Harvest Semillon

If you were unable to attend this event, we hope you were able to celebrate at home. Cheers to Red Mountain!

Release Weekend at Fidelitas

Release weekend is something every club member looks forward to. We have just recently decided that a full day of fun is much better than a few hours in the evening…and what better day than Sundays! February was the first release of the year over here at Fidelitas and what a great release it was. We closed our tasting room doors in Woodinville on Sunday March 1st and welcomed only our club members from noon-6pm. We had a very delicious line up of wines to match the food we offered for this event…

 

2013 Klipsun Vineyard Optu White

2012 Northridge Vineyard Malbec

2012 Optu Red Mountain

2012 Red Mountain Merlot

2010 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet 

 

Both our Woodinville and Red Mountain locations will be doing this (Red Mountain is a tad different) every release, four times a year. So be sure to keep an eye out and save the date for our pick up parties. They are such fun!

 

Keep Your Heads Up! Winter is Almost Over.

Now that football is over we are left with cold days and no summer in sight. So grab a glass of Champoux Cabernet, sit back, and picture a fun year with Fidelitas. We just recently got together to plan out our 2015 year and it has me motivated to get through these dreary months! With Taste and Talk series to Summer in the City we have you covered, and you won’t want to miss out on these events. In the mean time, come enjoy our February “I love Red Mountain” Happy Hour in our tasting rooms so we can all drink in excitement together. Fridays 4pm to 6pm in Woodinville and Saturdays 11am to 5pm on Red Mountain. Now just look at theses photos to take you to those months we are anxiously awaiting for...

 

Tis the Season for Holiday Parties!

If you weren’t able to make it to our Holiday Shopping Party, mark it on your calendars for next year because it was a major hit! Door prizes with secret discounts, gift wrapping, cookie bar, tasty food and Fidelitas wine…what more could you ask for? Our tasting room was glowing with hanging Christmas lights to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Doors opened at 5pm and guests were able to drink wine, eat food and purchase their gifts all at the same time.

What was on the menu?

Smoked Salmon & Crème Fraiche Crisps (paired with Optu White)
Honey Walnut Sweet Potato Rounds (paired with 4040 Red Wine)
Pancetta and Parmesan Stuffed Dates (paired with Boushey Vineyard Red Wine)
Mini Meatball Sliders (paired with Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon)

Luckily, dessert was supplied also. The staff got together to bake their favorite Christmas cookie recipes for everyone to enjoy, a tradition that Red Mountain shared with Woodinville! This event was a great way for the Fidelitas team to celebrate the holidays with our wonderful and loyal customers and club members. Keep an eye out for next year's, because you will not want to miss it.

First Visit to Red Mountain

I’ve been with the Fidelitas team for a few months now and have finally been able to visit Red Mountain! I made the trek over to our home for the Vineyard Stroll + Dinner event on September 13th which was a big success. We were able to tour the different vineyards on that gorgeous Saturday with Charlie, and taste the grapes that hadn’t been picked for harvest quiet yet. The scenery was amazing and the group that was there topped it off!

Once we arrived back at Fidelitas, everyone was welcomed with a lovely dinner on the patio prepared by Ethos Bakery.  The food paired perfectly with our wine and the end result was delicious.

I highly recommend that event for anyone who wasn’t able to attend this year. And for anyone who has never been to Red Mountain, you need to get out there as soon as you can. You are missing out on some of the most wonderful things Washington wine has to offer.  I wanted to bring back as much of Red Mountain here to Woodinville as I could.  My first experience there was unforgettable and I can’t wait for many more visits to come.