Fidelitas Columbia Valley Red Mountain Wine Tasting in Woodinville tasting room
Another one of the highlights of our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour was visiting the Fidelitas tasting room in Woodinville. We first discovered Fidelitas wines when one of the winery representatives visited Naperville several years ago and we acquired their wine as a result. According to my records and wine journal, this occurred back on Oct 5, 2005 at Binny's Naperville. At that time, hosted by Chris F of Binny's, we tasted and I acquired Fidelitas Optu Columbia Valley Red Wine
2002. We enjoyed that half case from 2005 through 2015. Hence, I was familiar with Fidelitas and eager to get reacquainted with our visit to their Woodinville tasting room.
Fidelitas is the project of
Charlie Hopps, early pioneer and
leader on the Washington State wine scene dating back to its early days in the early
1980’s. It began with Charlie fermenting berry wines from a family vineyard near
his in-laws in Pasco,
Washington. He developed a love for wine and attended the renowned Viticulture and
Enology program at the University of California – Davis, graduating in
1988 with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management with a
emphasis in Viticulture and Enology. After graduation he returned to
Washington and worked for Mike Januik at Snoqualmie/Langguth
winery. After some time in Walla Walla at
Waterbrook
Winery, he rejoined Januik in 1990 as a member of the
winemaking team at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville.
In 1993, Charlie became the Head Red Winemaker where he managed Chateau Ste.
Michelle’s Canoe Ridge facility near Paterson,
Washington. There, he had gained experience making a large number of wines, learning and improving the
art of making fine wines in Washington. He had the opportunity to work with the legendary
Antinori family from Italy on a joint venture producing the Col Solare
label from1995 through 1998.
In the winter of 1999, he left
Chateau Ste.
Michelle to venture into making his own wine. Working with the startup
of
Three Rivers Winery, he was winemaker from 1999 through the 2002.
During that time, he started Fidelitas in
2000. The first vintage was a Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot blend
named Optu. It was this wine that we first acquired from the 2002
vintage release from that initial introduction to Fidelitas. This wine is still in the Fidelitas portfolio today, as the Red
Mountain Bordeaux-style blend.
In 2007, Fidelitas
purchased land in the
Red Mountain, AVA
and planted a small three-acre vineyard. There they built a tasting
room. and added an additional ten acres
that were planted in the spring of 2015 with red Bordeaux varietals.
Since that first Red Mountain Fidelitas in
2005, production has continued to expand.
In 2012 vintage, they released
Fidelitas Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Working with other top
growers in
the Red Mountain AVA, Fidelitas produces vineyard designated wines from
Ciel Du
Cheval Vineyard, Blackwood Canyon Vineyard, and Quintessence Vineyard,
as well as blends and varietal wines from throughout the AVA.
Today, Charlie is consulting winemaker for several other wineries throughout the region. 2017
marked his 30th vintage making Washington wines.
In Charlie Hoppes name "Washington's Top Malbec Maker" by the Andy Perdue of the Seatle Times.
He and his wife,
Terri, have four adult children who are working and
going to school around the U.S. Their son, Will, recently joined the
team
at Fidelitas. Will worked in the operations since he was 13. After getting his degree from University of Portland, he went into the wine business working for Nicolas-Jay, a
Willamette Valley Pinot-producing startup. Joining Fidelitas, he heads up the Woodinville tasting room. In 2019. he will join Charlie working in the cellar for the harvest, as they build a
multi-generational
winery.
We tasted the following wines in the tasting room:
Fidelitas Optu Red Mountain White Wine 2015
Fidelitas The Canyons Vineyard Red Wine 2015
Fidelitas Red Mountain Malbec 2015
Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot 2015
Fidelitas Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
This is the Fidelitas 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Red Mountain Quintessence Vineyard. It is produced in the 'Old World' style, aged in 96% New French Oak.
Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, with notes of tobacco leaf and hints of olive undertones against the firm structured but balanced black berry and subdued blue berry fruits accented by notes of dark chocolate with a lingering moderate tannin finish. 576 cases were produced.
We bought this wine and carried it home.
RM 93 points.
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2935238
Fidelitas "The Canyons" Vineyard Red Wine 2015
The Canyons Vineyard Red Wine is named
for the deep ravines that cut through the vineyard site. This is a blend 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, and 12% Merlot, aged in 80% New French Oak. 360 cases were produced.
Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, notes of black berry and hints of black raspberry and cherry, herbs and spice with nice full tannins on the long finish.
RM 91 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2932699
We acquired this and carried it home.
Fidelitas Red Mountain Malbec 2015
Charlie Hoppes was name "Washington's Top Malbec Maker" by the Andy Perdue of the Seatle Times for this wine.
Fruit for the Red Mountain Malbec is
sourced from three unique vineyard sites within the AVA; 56% Kiona Heart of the Hill Vineyard, 24% Scooteney Flats Vineyard, 20% The Canyons Vineyard.
This was aged in 22% New American Oak, 9% New French Oak; 552 cases were produced.
Dark garnet colored medium bodied, bright red raspberry and
cherry fruits with notes of herbs and hints of spice, white pepper and minerality with balanced acidity on a subdued finish.
RM 89 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2901200
Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot 2015
While this is 100% Red Mountain Merlot it is sourced from five different Red Mountain Vineyards - 44% Red Mountain Vineyard, 24% Red Heaven Vineyard, 16% Scooteney Flats Vineyard, 8% Kiona Vineyard, 8% The Canyons Vineyard. It was aged in 32% New French Oak, 32% New American Oak. 575 cases were produced.
Charlie Hoppes has noted, “Washington’s original reputation for great wine is based
on Merlot”.
This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright rich vibrant berry fruits with bright acidity and smooth soft lingering tannins on the finish.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2913284
http://www.fidelitaswines.com/
The Fidelitas vineyard is in the Red Mountain AVA, the smallest of the fourteen Washington State appellations. Red Mountain is gaining distinction from producing some of the top wines from the State. It is known for a wide range of grape varietals, most notably Bordeaux varietals.
According to the Fidelitas website, the Red Mountain AVA is unique, characterized for the following reasons.
A Southwestern Facing Slope
The southwest slope of the Red Mountain AVA provides the vineyards in
the region with a directional aspect to the sun that is ideal for
prolonged sunlight exposure and warmth. These highly desirable
conditions allow for a ripeness in tannins that is recognized as a
primary characteristic of Red Mountain fruit.
Warm Summers and Winters
Red Mountain experiences more growing degree days than any other
region in the state. The high latitude (N 46*) and topography
contribute temperature swings experienced during the growing season,
with daytime temperatures averaging 90 °F and night time temperatures
dropping below 50 °F. These heat accumulation days create ideal
temperatures for highly marketable grapes, exhibiting ripeness and
concentration. The cooler evenings help to retain acidity levels which
allows for the exceptional balance and structure found in Red Mountain
grapes, and the wines crafted from them.
Low Rainfall
Red Mountain gathers less than 10 inches of rain per year, requiring
irrigation in the vineyards. The use of drip irrigation provides ideal
grape growing conditions through canopy management. Additionally, Red
Mountain vines experience dramatically lower mold and mildew pressure
compared to most other vineyard regions.
Smallest AVA in Washington State
Red Mountain is the smallest recognized American Viticultural Area in
Washington State, with 4040 acres. Of that, about 2700 acres have been
determined plantable, and only 1500 is currently under vine. Red
Mountain is defined by natural borders, with the ridge of the mountain
to the north and the Yakima River to the west. Red Mountain resembles a
growing region more like the Old World, where one can see each block of
each vineyard from a single vantage point.
AVA Specific Soils
The predominate soils of Red Mountain are not found anywhere else in
the state. Wine blown Loess (Warden, Hezel, and Scootenay) were brought
in by pre-historic floods. The high alkalinity and calcium carbonate
content of the soil, along with its granular consistency, allows for
each vine to form a well established root system. In soils with this
composition, root systems are able to reach deep to obtain the necessary
nutrients and moisture.
Consistent Winds
The prevailing winds come out of the Southwest and are notable for
their frequency and velocity. The regular gusts of warm air flow through
the AVA’s vineyards during the growing season, keeping the grape
clusters small and concentrating the flavors of the fruit - which
contributes to their richness and intensity
Another stop in our Woodinville wine tasting tour as part of our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour was a visit to Guardian Cellars. This was another as yet undiscovered producer that was suggested as a worthwhile stop in the area. While perhaps not at the level of the premium Long Shadows selections, or the Fidelitas or Mark Ryan premium labels, Guardium produces some very respectable quality wines that represent high QPR - Quality Price Ratio selections. 
The 250 acre StoneTree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA was planted
in 2000. The name
of the vineyard is derived from the petrified tree fossils found
in the surrounding hills. The vineyard is located on a rolling sloping
hillside northwest of Mattawa, Washington, surrounded on one side by the Columbia
River and on the other by the Saddle Mountains. Guardian considers StoneTree as their 'go-to' vineyard as a primary source for their fruit.
