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
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
Merlot