Petit Verdot
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release, as its formidable tannin structure benefits from cellar aging.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops, prime rib, aged Gouda cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Fidelitas Petit Verdot is a powerful expression of one of Bordeaux's most challenging grapes, thriving in the unique, sun-drenched terroir of the Red Mountain AVA in Washington State. While traditionally used in small percentages to add color and structure to Bordeaux-style blends, the intense heat, swift winds, and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts of Red Mountain allow Petit Verdot to fully ripen and excel as a single-varietal wine. Winemaker Charlie Hoppes coaxes incredible depth from this late-ripening variety, utilizing meticulous oak aging to soften its naturally robust tannins. The result is a deeply colored, structurally imposing wine that showcases the intense concentration, floral aromatics, and dark fruit character characteristic of this rugged appellation.
🍾 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
Petit Verdot