About this winery

The von Mandl family began their journey over 40 years ago. The first sign of the real potential of the vineyards came in 1994 with a surprise win at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London for ‘Top Chardonnay in the World.’ The family has developed exceptional vineyards with distinctive Chardonnay and Merlot clones, some of which are now over 40 years old, at what are now CheckMate Artisanal Winery vineyards.

See the Checkmate Winery detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

A unique reflection of its terroir and aging vessel, t his wine exhibits synergy, balanced acidity and the aromatics of a truly handcrafted wine.

Production notes

Estate: 67% Jagged Rock Vineyard, Black Sage Bench, 33% Border Vista Vineyard, Osoyoos East Bench barrel aging: Foudre (50% new); 16 months in oak clonal selection: Dijon 76 & Dekleva canopy: Vertical shoot positioning elevation: 1115 ft-1247 ft harvest: Hand-picked abv: 13.8% / TA 5.06 / pH 3.23 crafted: 2 Foudre

Tasting notes

Winemaking and ‘foudre’ (large oval cask) combine to create an alluring nose of the seaside, citrus, stone fruits and Indian spices interspersed with hints of flint. The palate is structured with signature elements of Asian pear, lychee, mandarin, cold tea, spice and seawater. This wine has a mouth-watering finish.