CheckMate Little Pawn Chardonnay scores 100 again

Photo: Jagged Rock Vineyard

CheckMate Artisanal Winery is about to announce its spring release: four Chardonnays and two Merlots that are among the benchmark wines of the Okanagan.

At a previous spring release, I scored the 2015 CheckMate Little Pawn Chardonnay 100 points. I have decided to award the same score to the 2016 Little Pawn Chardonnay. 2016 was, arguably, a better vintage than 2015.

More to the point, the wine was grown in the same vineyard. There seems to be something quite special about the Jagged Rock Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench that produces these grapes.

“Jagged Rock Vineyard (left), surrounded by steep rocky cliffs at 1,400 feet elevation, is a remarkable spot,” agrees a spokesman for Sebastian Farms, the holding company that manages the vineyard for Mission Hill and associated wineries. “The sparse, sun-kissed soils and heat radiating off the cliffs provides an ideal viticultural environment. Our Jagged Rock vineyard in the Southern Okanagan is tucked in against steep cliffs where cool desert nights, incredible sunlight, and a variety of unique soils provide an excellent home for our wines.”

The soils are deep, stone free and were formed from glacial deposits. The spare nature of the soils helps produce balanced fruit. Winemaker Phil McGahan (below) at CheckMate oversees the viticulture, making sure the Chardonnay vines are farmed to suit his requirements.

In addition to Chardonnay, other varieties also do well at Jagged Rock. These include Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Those wines are produced by Mission Hill. CheckMate has a very focused portfolio: just Chardonnay and Merlot.

After five vintages in the Okanagan, Phil has mastered the grapes and the terroir as though he had been here his entire life. He was trained in Australia and, before he was recruited to CheckMate, he worked for several years in the Sonoma Valley in California.

CheckMate is one of the jewels in Anthony von Mandl’s Okanagan wineries. (Others include Mission Hill Family Estate, Martin’s Lane Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery and Road 13 Vineyards.)

CheckMate was created after Anthony in 2012 purchased an exceptional Chardonnay vineyard on the Golden Mile. At the same time, he bought the neighbouring former Domaine Combret winery, a 19-year-old property which had recently closed as a winery. The attraction was a mature Chardonnay block and a winery with a good location. During the last several years, the Combret winery has been completely rebuilt.

Trial lots of CheckMate wine were made, but not released, in 2012. The first CheckMate vintage released to consumers was 2013. The winery makes just Chardonnay and Merlot. Phil chooses the grapes from five or six of the best vineyards Mission Hill has in the south Okanagan.

A tasting room was opened several years ago at CheckMate so that wine tourists could taste the exceptional wines after reading about them for several years. The aggressively priced wines will not fit into every consumer’s budget. However, for a reasonable tasting fee, consumers can experience the wines even if they think they cannot afford to take home a bottle.

Personally, I don’t think the wines are overpriced, given their quality. The liquor stores are full of $100 a bottle imported wines. CheckMate more than holds its own in that league.

Here are notes on the spring releases.

CheckMate Attack Chardonnay 2016 ($115 for one foudre). Fruit from three different blocks was co-fermented and then aged 16 months in French oak. The wine begins with aromas of citrus and tropical fruits mingled with vanilla; all of this is echoed on the rich palate. There also is an intriguing hint of sea salt on the persistent finish. 95.

CheckMate Little Pawn Chardonnay 2016 ($110 for seven barrels). The fruit is from a Black Sage Bench vineyard called Jagged Rock, clearly a terroir that produce  elegant Chardonnays year after year. There are aromas of citrus, sage and licorice. The palate is a medley of fruit flavours including Mandarin orange mingled with subtle oak notes (the wine aged 16 months in French oak, 47% new). Tropical and citrus fruits are revealed on the very long finish, with bright acidity keeping the wine fresh and lively. 100.

CheckMate Knight’s Challenge Chardonnay 2016 ($85 for 7 barrels). The fruit for this wine is from another Black Sage Road vineyard called the Sunset Vineyard. Even though it is just a few hundred yards south of Jagged Rock, it yields a much different Chardonnay. It begins with aromas of citrus and sage. The wine has a creamy entrance on the palate, revealing flavours of citrus, apple, stone fruits and butter. 94.

CheckMate Fool’s Mate Chardonnay 2016 ($80 for 9 barrels and one concrete egg). This is a blend of fruit from all the vineyards that supply CheckMate. Fittingly, this is a Chardonnay that displays great harmony. The aromas of citrus, peach and vanilla initially are restrained, opening up with time in the glass. The wine has a rich entry on the palate leading to flavours of stone fruits. There is a hint of sea salt on the long finish. 94.

CheckMate End Game Merlot 2016 ($85 for nine barrels). The fruit for this wine is from the Black Sage and Osoyoos East Benches. This wine was fermented in barrel and aged 21 months in new French oak. Concentrated in texture and flavour, the wine has integrated the oak very well. There are aromas and flavours of cassis, black cherry, vanilla and spice. The long, ripe tannins lead to a long finish with savoury notes. 94.

CheckMate Silent Bishop Merlot 2016 ($85 for nine barrels). The fruit for this wine is from vineyards on the western side of the valley: Osoyoos West Bench, Golden Mile and Oliver North. This is a darker, denser Merlot with a brooding personality. Aromas and flavours of dark fruits open up in the glass, accented by long, ripe tannins that deliver a long, long finish. 96.