Champoux Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 8 to 20 years from vintage release, allowing the robust tannic structure to integrate and reveal complex tertiary notes.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon by Fidelitas represents a masterful marriage between one of Washington State's most legendary vineyards and the precise winemaking of Charlie Hoppes. Located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Champoux Vineyard was first planted in 1972 and has since achieved mythical status, famously contributing to some of the Pacific Northwest's most celebrated wines. The terroir here is defined by wind-blown loess soils, intense sunshine, and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, which allow the grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while retaining vibrant natural acidity. Fidelitas coaxes a remarkably elegant yet powerful expression from this historic site, characterized by deep blackberry and cassis notes, refined, dusty tannins, and a complex mineral backbone that speaks directly to the ancient soils of the Columbia Valley.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2000 by veteran Washington winemaker Charlie Hoppes, Fidelitas is an artisanal winery dedicated to showcasing the distinct terroir of the Red Mountain AVA in Washington State. True to the Latin meaning of its name—faithfulness—the estate adheres to a philosophy of unwavering fidelity to grape varietal and vineyard character. Sourcing fruit from premier sites such as Quintessence, Ciel du Cheval, and the Fidelitas Estate Vineyard, the winery utilizes precise small-lot fermentation and focused oak aging. Fidelitas is celebrated for its powerful, structured, and age-worthy Bordeaux-style reds, most notably its acclaimed single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, Malbec, and signature Optu Red blend.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon