A clear vision.

Some wineries make great wine. A few shift the conversation entirely. CheckMate Artisanal Winery is one of those few. Situated on the Golden Mile Bench in the South Okanagan, it combines bold ambition with focused precision, and the results speak for themselves.

From the outset, CheckMate set its sights high: Chardonnay and Merlot crafted to stand alongside the best in the world.

It’s not just a standout in British Columbia; it’s one of Canada’s most ambitious wine ventures to date.

The winery’s design is as deliberate as its wines. A cantilevered tasting room juts out over the vineyard with clean lines, glass walls, and a panoramic view that commands your full attention. It’s minimalist in aesthetic, maximalist in impact.

One of the best views in the Okanagan Valley.

From this elevated perch, the South Okanagan unfolds in cinematic scale: neatly drawn vineyard rows set against rugged hillsides, under an endless sky.

As part of Anthony von Mandl’s Iconic Wineries of British Columbia that includes Mission Hill and Martin’s Lane, CheckMate wasn’t built to impress the masses. It was built to make a mark. Its Little Pawn Chardonnay made history as the first Canadian wine to receive back-to-back 100-point scores, an incredible achievement that turned heads around the world.

Impressive wines across the board.

But what’s more impressive than a perfectly rated wine is how much the quality runs across the entire portfolio.

The winemaking philosophy here centres on precision, patience, and place. While the techniques are Burgundian (native yeasts, no fining or filtration, French oak elevage), the expression is distinctly Okanagan.

Napa Valley consultant Philippe Melka helped shape CheckMate’s early vision, but it was Australian winemaker Phil McGahan, formerly of Williams Selyem in Sonoma, who brought it to life.

CheckMate’s estate vineyard.

When we first visited the winery in 2020, we met McGahan and saw firsthand how his terroir-focused approach emphasized restraint, letting each site (including dry-farmed vineyards with vines over 40 years old) speak for itself.

We returned in 2022 following the completion of the tasting room, and again this year. Across all three visits, the throughline has been crystal clear: consistent, exceptional quality.

While McGahan has since returned to Australia, the role of Director of Winemaking is now in the hands of Greg Rowdon, who continues to uphold the same meticulous standards.

A view like no other.

Our third visit confirmed what we’ve known all along: CheckMate plays at the highest level. The wines we tasted included Black Rook, Little Pawn, Silent Bishop, Queen Taken, and Opening Gambit, with not a weak link in the lineup (See tasting notes at the end of the article).

We consistently recommend CheckMate to anyone visiting BC wine country not only for the exceptional wines, but for the totality of the experience. The setting is serene and the hospitality is thoughtful and knowledgeable. This isn’t a quick drop-in tasting, it’s a chance to slow down and truly engage with what’s in the glass.

Ready and waiting for you.

In our experience exploring BC wine country, CheckMate has come to represent a turning point. It’s not about making comparisons to Burgundy or Napa, it’s about confidently showing what’s possible in the South Okanagan.

With its focused approach, striking design, and consistent quality, CheckMate has quietly helped elevate the conversation around Canadian wine, and where it can go next.

CheckMate isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. It doesn’t need to. It knows exactly what it is: a winery singularly committed to producing world-class Chardonnay and Merlot. It plays its hand with precision. And for those paying attention, the result is undeniable. CheckMate…you win.

Tasting Notes

2021 Checkmate Fool’s Mate Chardonnay

2021 Checkmate Fools Mate Chardonnay.

We began our tasting appropriately enough with the most Chablis-like in their lineup. Pale gold in colour, this year’s Fool’s Mate serves up all sorts of orchard fruit and combines it with hints of citrus and a lovely minerality. The body is medium and the acidity medium+. There’s a very good delineation of the fruit and the peach and nectarine gain contrast from the lemon juice notes. Excellent

2021 Checkmate Queen Taken Chardonnay

With Queen Taken the dials get turned up. The body is now medium+ and the colour has deepened to a medium gold. Peach apple dominate the flavours and joined with hints of pear and just a touch of caramel. The minerality in this wine is terrific and keeps the finish on your tongue for at least 30 seconds. If Fool’s Mate is Chablis, this is Montrachet. Excellent+

2021 Checkmate Little Pawn Chardonnay

2021 Checkmate Little Pawn Chardonnay.

Always a favourite, Little Pawn is the most feted wine in the Checkmate portfolio. We get bruised apple, pear, peach and caramel. This is all braced by wet stone notes and well-judged acidity. It’s a powerful wine, very textured, and has a wonderfully long finish. Shortly after our visit to the winery we were invited to stay with friends for a weekend and a highlight of that visit was that they shared both the 2019  and the 2015 Little Pawn Chardonnays. Both wines were utterly delicious and in fine form, providing a testament to how well these wines age. Extraordinary

2020 Checkmate Silent Bishop Merlot

2020 Checkmate Silent Bishop Merlot.

Merlot is increasingly being thought of as the Okanagan’s red grape, and surely Checkmate is doing a lot to create that reputation. The Silent Bishop, like all of their Merlots, is dark red in the glass. We pick up notes of black cherry and spice cake from well above the glass. Those notes continue into the flavours where they are joined by plum and hints of baking spices. The tannins are firm and give structure but they are not astringent. These will integrate over time and their presence and depth of fruit assure a long life in a cold cellar. Excellent

2021 Checkmate Opening Gambit Merlot

This wine makes its statement through its elegance and finesse. Here the accents are more floral than spice driven. The body is medium and the tannin is present but rounded. The flavour profile shifts a bit more toward the red fruit side of the spectrum. A lovely expression of the grape that can be enjoyed right now. Excellent

2021 Checkmate Black Rook Merlot

2021 Checkmate Black Rook Merlot.

This starts out with a wonderfully perfumed nose that is redolent of violets and dried herbs. The balance on this wine is so precise. All the notes sing at the same volume and show just the right measure of structure to match the fruit. Black cherry and plum flavours dominate and are joined by brown spice and dried herbs. This has a wonderful and powerful mouthfeel without being heavy. We were reminded of a high class St Emilion. Blackberry and bramble notes infused the long finish. Excellent+

2021 Checkmate End Game Merlot

Another St. Emilion look alike, this was elegant and complex. Dark cherry flavours intertwine with subtle notes of espresso, cinnamon and floral The body is medium and the tannins are smooth giving the wine structure without being obtrusive. With some swirling the spice notes are joined with hints of earth and mineral. Textured and seductive, a really delicious Merlot. Excellent+

Checkmate Artisanal Winery

4799 Wild Rose St

Oliver, BC

CANADA V0H 1T0

+1 250-707-2299

Tastings by appointment only can be reserved online.