Ciel Du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb, braised beef short ribs
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Fidelitas Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon is a profound tribute to one of the most historic and revered vineyards in Washington State's Red Mountain AVA. Planted in 1975 by pioneer Jim Holmes, the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard—translating to 'Sky of the Horse'—is legendary for its wind-swept, gravelly soils rich in calcium carbonate, deposited millennia ago by the cataclysmic Missoula Floods. Winemaker Charlie Hoppes masterfully coaxes the unique signature of this site into the bottle, showcasing the intense heat and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts of Red Mountain. The wine is characterized by its deep concentration, structured and dusty tannins, and a distinct mineral backbone. Aged primarily in French oak, this Cabernet Sauvignon beautifully marries rich dark fruit flavors with the savory, earthy complexity that has made Ciel du Cheval a benchmark terroir in American viticulture.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 2000 by acclaimed winemaker Charlie Hoppes, Fidelitas is a premier boutique winery deeply rooted in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington State. With a steadfast focus on crafting exceptional Bordeaux-style blends and single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, the winery sources grapes from some of the region's most prestigious vineyards, including Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, and Quintessence, alongside their own estate plantings. Fidelitas is renowned for its modern, precise winemaking techniques, utilizing carefully selected French and American oak barrels to shape wines of remarkable concentration, structure, and aging potential. Under Hoppes' expert guidance, the estate has become a benchmark producer for Red Mountain, capturing the unique, sun-drenched terroir in every bottle of their signature Optu Red and site-specific Cabernet Sauvignon expressions.