Optu Red
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, slow-braised lamb shanks, roasted duck
✨ Technical Specifications
The Optu Red Blend represents the pinnacle of Charlie Hoppes' winemaking philosophy on Red Mountain, Washington's smallest and most distinctive appellation. Named to signify the 'optimal' selection of Bordeaux varietals from the estate's favored vineyard blocks, this flagship cuvée tells the story of a unique terroir shaped by cataclysmic prehistoric floods and intense, sun-drenched summer days. The wine is defined by Red Mountain's signature characteristics: powerful, fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and an intense concentration of dark fruit. Crafted using traditional fermentation and aged primarily in French oak barrels, the Optu Red showcases a seamless harmony of structure and elegance, capturing the rugged beauty and refined potential of Washington State's premier growing region.
🍾 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.