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91POINTS
16¾/20
CheckMate Artisanal Winery Capture Chardonnay 2017
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaCapture is grown at Border Vista Vineyard on East Osoyoos Bench. It's the warmest site Checkmate pulls fruit from, and it sits just a few metres from the United States border. The single block dates back to a 1997 planting of Dijon clone 76 on finely textured, complex, low-nutrient, sandy soils. The fermentation is all in barrel, and 67 percent involves native yeast. I like how peach and tropical notes jump from the glass, yet as warm as the site can be, it still sits at 49 degrees north, adding a freshness to the wine that easily withstands regular battonage and 16 months of ageing in 46 percent new French oak. Winemaker Phil McGahan employs water-bent barrels to keep the toast factor in check, allowing the bright fruit a chance to break through early on the palate. Capture is a texture and weight chardonnay but with restraint. The butter, apples, and pears give way to spice, honey, and tangerine before a lightly saline mineral finish. You can drink this now, but I suggest five years of cellaring for the best results.Tasted: 29 August 2020Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:| BC | $90.00 | 750ml | winery direct, restaurants, select private wine shops |
| BC | $200.00 | 1500ml | winery direct, restaurants, select private wine shops |
Grape: ChardonnayUPC: 776545801951
