CheckMate produces another 100-point Chardonnay

Photo: Winemaker and general manager Philip McGahan

For the third vintage in a row, I have awarded 100 points to Little Pawn Chardonnay from CheckMate Artisanal Winery. The consistency is a compliment to the skills of Philip McGahan, the winemaker and general manager at CheckMate.

Of equal importance is the vineyard. There is something quite special about the Jagged Rock Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench that produces these grapes. “Jagged Rock Vineyard, 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 Philip 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.

Some of the wines reviewed here are about to be released while four of the Chardonnays are scheduled for release next April, as indicated. I was fortunate to get a pre-release tasting with the winemaker. Here are my notes.

CheckMate Queen Taken Chardonnay 2018 ($125 for nine barrels). The fruit is what the winery calls the Dekleva Clone, named for the original grower who planted vines in 1975 on the Golden Mile vineyard now owned by CheckMate. That was an era when few bothered about identifying clones with accuracy, if at all. John Simes, the long-time Mission Hill winemaker (now retired), came across the vineyard in 1992 and produced an award-winning Chardonnay. In 2014, after CheckMate bought the vineyard, John replanted much of it with additional Dekleva cuttings. This complex wine justifies that faith in the Dekleva Clone. The wine, fermented with indigenous yeast, delivers a rich and savoury with notes of guava, apple, mandarin orange mingled with minerality. 94.

CheckMate Capture Chardonnay 2018 ($95 for eight barrels). The fruit, all Dijon Clone 76, is from Border Vista Vineyard in Osoyoos. Fermentation was with indigenous yeast. The aromas are appealing, with floral notes giving way to apple and citrus. The wine is rich on the palate with flavours of mandarin orange mingled with butter and stone fruit. The finish is very long. 93. .

CheckMate Knight’s Challenge Chardonnay 2018 ($95). The grapes, clones 76 and 95, are from a Black Sage Bench vineyard. This is a Chardonnay with considerable intensity, starting with buttery aromas and going on to flavours of mandarin orange and apricot. The finish is quite persistent. 98. April 2022 release.

CheckMate Queen’s Advantage Chardonnay 2018 ($95 for seven barrels). The clones here are unknown because Joe Fatur, the original developer of the vineyard, planted this Golden Mile vineyard in the 1970s. Like Queen’s Taken, this wine is rich on the palate, with flavours of guava and mandarin wrapped around a spine of minerality. Sixty percent was fermented with indigenous yeast. 93.

CheckMate Attack Chardonnay 2018 ($115 for seven barrels). This wine was fermented and aged in 1,600-litre foudres. It is one of CheckMate’s brightest, fruit-forward Chardonnays, intense on the palate with flavours of peach and citrus. The finish has great length. 97. April 2022 release.

CheckMate Fool’s Mate Chardonnay 2018 ($95 for 19 barrels). This wine combines fruit from five vineyards in the South Okanagan. It was fermented and aged in a combination of cooperage: nine barrels, one foudre and one concrete egg. Tight in structure, the wine begins with floral aromas leading to flavours of citrus, apple, mango and herbs. There is a note of sea salt on the long finish. 94. April 2022 release.

CheckMate Little Pawn Chardonnay 2018 ($110 for 12 barrels). To my palate, this has emerged as the finest Chardonnay in the CheckMate portfolio: simply polished perfection. It is floral in aroma with notes of citrus, peach and papaya intense on the palate. The finish does not want to quit. 100. April 2022 release.

CheckMate Opening Gambit Merlot 2017 ($95). The grapes are from the Osoyoos East Bench, fermented entirely with wild yeast with extended skin contact. The wine was aged 21 months in new French oak. It begins with aromas of cassis and blackberry. On the palate, there are concentrated flavours of black cherry mingled with herbal and spice notes. The tannins are polished, with a firmness that will support cellaring. 98.

CheckMate Black Rook Merlot 2017 ($95). The fruit for this wine is from the Black Sage Bench, fermented with wild yeast and given extended skin contact. The wine was aged 21 months in new French oak. Brambly aromas of black cherry and blackberry bound from the glass. The palate is lush and inviting, with flavours of black cherry, chocolate and licorice. The finish is persistent, with notes of sage and spicy oak. 96.