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
Fidélitas was founded in 2000 by veteran Washington winemaker Charlie Hoppes, formerly the head red winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle. Joined by his son Will Hoppes, the winery embodies an unyielding dedication to Bordeaux grape varieties cultivated exclusively within Washington State's prestigious Red Mountain AVA. Situated on warm, southwest-facing slopes, the region's intense sunlight, fierce winds, poor gravelly loam soils, and profound diurnal temperature fluctuations foster thick-skinned berries with formidable concentration and natural acidity. The estate vineyard, first planted in 2008 and farmed sustainably with Sustainable WA certification, is complemented by premier fruit partnerships with iconic sites such as Ciel du Cheval and Quintessence. Winemaking employs micro-lot fermentations in oak and neutral barrels, yielding structured, deeply expressive wines. The estate's benchmark portfolio is anchored by the flagship Optu Red and Optu White blends, vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignons, and varietal Malbecs.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon