Ciel du Cheval Merlot
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–12 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled ribeye steak, rosemary-crusted roast lamb
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from one of the most revered sites in Washington State's Red Mountain AVA, the Fidelitas Ciel du Cheval Merlot is a masterclass in power and refinement. Ciel du Cheval, meaning 'Heaven of the Horse', was first planted in 1975 by visionary pioneer Jim Holmes. This legendary vineyard is defined by its fan-shaped deposit of gravelly, high-calcium soils left behind by the ancient Missoula Floods. Under the guidance of winemaker Charlie Hoppes, this Merlot defies the soft, simple stereotypes of the grape. The intense heat of Red Mountain, coupled with cool evening winds sweeping through the Columbia Gap, coaxes out thick skins and concentrated sugars. The resulting wine is aged primarily in French oak, yielding a remarkably structured, deeply colored, and savory expression of Merlot that balances dark fruit intensity with earthy complexity and dusty, fine-grained tannins.
🍾 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
Merlot