As part of Washington Wine Month we bring you another feature on an eminent Washington winery. One of the big wineries on Red Mountain, Fidelitas has gained national acclaim for their terroir driven red and white wines. Fidelitas on Red Mountain is a beautiful and modern facility that was created by superstar winemaker, Charlie Hoppes, former head winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle. Prior to working at Chateau Ste. Michelle, he attended the world renowned Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California, Davis and in 1988 he graduated with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management with a special emphasis in Viticulture and Enology. After a brief stint in Walla Walla in 1990 at Waterbrook Winery, he began working with superstar winemaker Mike Januik as a member of the winemaking team at Ste. Michelle in Woodinville. In 1993, he became the Head Red Winemaker and managed Ste. Michelle’s newest facility at the time, Canoe Ridge near Paterson, Washington. Hoppes had the pleasure of making the first vintages of Col Solare, from 1995-1998. After some time, Hoppes wanted to start his own project.
Hoppes finally decided to purchase some land on Red Mountain, founding Fidelitas in 2000 -- and has produced fantastic reds and whites since that time. Fidelitas is known for their red and white Bordeaux blends, as well as their rich Cabernets. Their value wine series, M100, is also very good for the price and sells to Costco and most Seattle area grocery stores.
I recently had the chance to visit their tasting room in Woodinville and was highly impressed with their range of new release wines. A wine that continues to impress each year is their 2014 Fidelitas ‘Optu White Wine’ (WWB, 93) which shows tremendous depth and complexity. This is one who loves a full bodied white wine. Equally impressive was the 2013 Fidelitas ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet (WWB, 93) which was a silky and layered effort perfect for every Cabernet lover. For those who have a slightly softer palate and love a rich Merlot, their 2013 Fidelitas ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Merlot (WWB, 93) showed a wonderful dark fruit profile and lovely smooth texture. Learn more about the great Fidelitas lineup at http://www.fidelitaswines.com/ Here are the great new wine releases from Fidelitas.
2014 Fidelitas ‘Optu White Wine’- This wine begins with aromas of poached pear, Gravenstein Apple and cantaloupe. There are rich flavors of Pazzaz apple, poached pear, toasted almonds and lovely weight and intensity. This is a gorgeous bottling here by Fidelitas that will cellar beautifully for at least another five plus years. Drink 2016-2023- 93
2012 Fidelitas ‘Boushey’ Red Wine- This is an excellent blend of 60% Cabernet, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. This wine starts with aromatics of black plum, black cherry, black olive and graphite. There are flavors of black cherry, cassis, anise and mocha. There is a lovely weight and mouthfeel to this delicious bottling. Drink 2016-2025- 92
2013 Fidelitas ‘Red Mountain’ Malbec- This is a blend of 3 vineyards on Red Mountain. This wine starts with aromas of black plum, coffee grounds, roasted dates and milk chocolate. There are flavors of blackberry preserves, mocha and roasted figs. This is a simply gorgeous wine with lovely weight and structure that is up there with the best Malbec in the state. Drink 2016-2025- 93
2012 Fidelitas ‘Optu’ Red Wine- This dense and layered wine begins with aromas of red cherry, milk chocolate, coffee grounds and black olive. There are deep flavors of red bell pepper, black olive, blackberry pie and black cherry. Deep and brooding, this will cellar gracefully for another decade. Drink 2016-2027- 93
2012 Fidelitas ‘Ciel du Cheval Vineyard’ Cabernet- This wine starts with aromas of green olive, red bell pepper, blackberry and sagebrush in this earthy aromatic wine. There are flavors of black cherry, red bell pepper, mocha and blackberry cobbler. This is a highly impressive new release wine. Drink 2016-2027- 93
2013 Fidelitas ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Merlot- This silky wine starts with aromas of red cherry, red bell pepper and blackberry pie. There are flavors of sagebrush, mocha, black cherry and black olive. This Merlot is a polished and lithe wine that has wonderful intensity and terroir. It is delicious straight out of the bottle. Drink 2016-2027- 93
2013 Fidelitas ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet- This wine starts with aromas of blackberry preserves, black olive, mocha and sagebrush. There is just a lovely range of aromatics at play. There are flavors of blackberry pie, black olive, black cherry and mocha. This is just another gorgeous new release wine from this estate. Drink 2016-2028- 93
2013 Fidelitas ‘Champoux Vineyard Magna’ Red Wine- This Cab Franc heavy blend opens with aromas of sagebrush, red bell pepper, black cherry and black olive. There are flavors of black cherry, sagebrush, red cherry and dried mint. This wine is a simply gorgeous new release here that's showcasing its feminine side. Drink 2016-2026- 93