Quintessence Clone 169
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
Nestled on the steep, sun-drenched south-facing slopes of Washington State's acclaimed Red Mountain AVA, the Quintessence Vineyard is a showcase of viticultural precision. Among its prized blocks, Clone 169—a certified French clone originating from Bordeaux—reigns supreme. Fidelitas isolates this specific clone to craft a wine of singular focus and extraordinary depth. The terroir of Red Mountain, characterized by sweeping winds, scarce rainfall, and calcium-carbonate-rich soils, forces the vines to struggle, resulting in tiny, thick-skinned berries. This specific clone is celebrated for its elegant structure, vibrant acidity, and intense dark fruit profile, offering a sophisticated, site-specific expression of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon that beautifully marries Old World structure with New World power.
🍾 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
Cabernet Sauvignon