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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
CheckMate Artisanal Winery End Game Merlottext
93POINTS
17¼/20

CheckMate Artisanal Winery End Game Merlot 2020

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaEnd Game is born on two south Okanagan benches that line up on the warm eastern side of the valley. Their sandy soils primarily define the Black Sage Bench and the Osoyoos East Bench, but the multiple expositions and elevations help produce a range of flavours and styles heightened by long days and plenty of warm, late day sun. The wild fermentation, with 50-55 days of skin contact finishes in the barrel, where the wine ages 21 months in new French oak, mostly St. Martin and Deptos Bordeaux. The nose is rich in black raspberry and whiffs of sassafras that spill onto the palate. The finish is long and persistent, with plenty of desert scrub and sagebrush that remind me of Bolgheri. Dense, rich tannins suggest it will age well into the late 2020s. Again, lamb is a good match.Tasted: 08 April 2024Tasted by: Anthony GismondiPrices:
BC$95.00750mlwinery direct, wine club members
BC$200.001500mlwinery online/direct
Producer: CheckMate Artisanal WineryDistributors: Mark Anthony Wines and Spirits
Grape: MerlotCSPC: 362652UPC: 776545803221