Can you imagine the surprise when I got an invitation to sample the latest merlot releases from the prestigious CheckMate winery, only to find out the event was being held in a music store? Unusual, yes and certainly a first for me. But it didn’t take long to see how brilliant it was. Tom … Read more
Winemaker Phil McGahan and the CheckMate Team are well into the 2017 Harvest and Vintage. We have begun with Chardonnay from our eastern vineyards on Osoyoos Lake Bench and Black Sage Bench which will become Capture, Knight’s Challenge and Little Pawn. Our grapes are hand-picked at night, chilled, hand sorted and gently pressed to preserve the quality of the pristine fruit.
A month or so after having the opportunity to sample CheckMate’s Chardonnay wines, I was invited to a Gastown restaurant for the launch of their 2013 Merlot. A group of invited guests gathered in a private room at L’ Abattoir. After a bit of socializing and a brief audiovisual presentation, where (former) principal Ingo Grady … Read more