Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
In the arid, sun-drenched landscape of Washington's Red Mountain AVA, Malbec finds an unexpectedly dramatic expression. While traditionally utilized as a blending grape in Bordeaux, winemaker Charlie Hoppes elevates this varietal into a powerful, standalone showcase of the region's intense terroir. The extreme diurnal temperature swings and sweeping winds of Red Mountain stress the vines, forcing them to produce small, thick-skinned berries. This results in a Malbec of remarkable concentration, boasting deep purple hues, savory complexity, and a muscular tannic structure that sets it apart from its softer South American counterparts. It is a testament to the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest, capturing the essence of the ancient Missoula Floods' soils in every glass.
🍾 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
Malbec