CheckMate 'Attack' Chardonnay 2018

CheckMate 'Attack' Chardonnay 2018 is a remarkably bright, sophisticated, and complex single-varietal Chardonnay produced by CheckMate Artisanal Winery in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. Fermented and aged in large 1,600-liter oak foudres, it offers an alluring, seaside-like minerality coupled with fragrant aromas of fresh citrus, guava, lightly grilled peach, and toasted hazelnut. On the palate, it exhibits a taut, tightly structured texture showing pure notes of passionfruit, lemon tart, mandarin, and subtle exotic spices that lead to a exceptionally long, refined, and saline-inflected finish.

Food Pairing: Pairs brilliantly with seared sea scallops, butter-poached lobster, king crab legs, roasted halibut, and creamy wild mushroom risotto.

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 

The 2018 Attack Chardonnay was aged for 16 months in new French foudres (rather than barriques) and comes in at 14.1% alcohol. There's a big hit of sweet wood up front, a lot of vanilla and a touch of coconut. Overall, however, this is a well-balanced and very elegant Chardonnay that is never overwhelmed by the wood impact. It maintains good depth and feels solid in the mid-palate as well. Undeveloped and in need of some development, this will show better in a couple of years, acquiring a bit of complexity along the way. Right now, it is one-dimensional and a little flamboyant, at least relative to the balanced Chardonnays in this group. It should hold for at least a decade from now, maybe more. There were 153 cases produced.