quicksearch
Anthony Gismondi on Wine
CheckMate Artisanal Winery Queen's Advantage Chardonnay Combret Vineyardtext
95POINTS
18/20

CheckMate Artisanal Winery Queen's Advantage Chardonnay Combret Vineyard 2020

Golden Mile Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaThe Queen's Advantage is home to the country's oldest, most traditional chardonnay vines, planted in 1973. The unknown clone takes the vineyard name Combret, a single estate plot of gnarly 47-year-old vines deeply rooted in the Golden Mile Bench hillside site of calcium-carbonate coated stones. The vineyard sits at 1266-1319 feet and has been painstakingly restored via precision agriculture. The result is an exciting chardonnay rich in florals, crème brûlée, and pineapple flecked with ginger, followed by pears, wet stone, and minerals. The vines, now deeply rooted, are tapping into the calcium carbonate rocks embedded in the fluvial fan. The ferment is 67 percent wild in 52 percent new French oak, all barrel aged for 16 months. QA is all about freshness and persistence now while building richness throughout, suggesting Dungeness crab or lobster would be a good match.Tasted: 17 November 2022Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:
BC$95.00750mlwinery direct
BC$200.001500mlwinery direct
BC$485.003000mlwinery online/direct
Producer: CheckMate Artisanal WineryDistributors: Mark Anthony Wines and Spirits
Grape: ChardonnayCSPC: 457262UPC: 776545803023