2018 Knight's Challenge Chardonnay - CheckMate Artisanal Winery

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This is an enticing Chardonnay with aromas of sagebrush, cold tea and lychee underscored by subtle fruit and lifted oak notes. The palate is vibrant and textural, displaying mineral and sea salt characters, backed by herbs, cloves and fruit in the background.

Vintage: 2018
Vineyard: Sunset Vineyard, Black Sage Bench
Aromas & Texture: Exuberant + Enticing

CheckMate Artisinal Winery Knight's Challenge Chardonnay

Sunset Vineyard

Situated south of Jagged Rock Vineyard and perfectly aligned with a gap in the range across the valley, this vineyard basks in the sun late into the evening. Thirty years ago, we planted Dijon clones 76 & 95 on soils formed by glacial meltwaters.

The vines grow in gravelly sand, and the site slopes to the southwest. This warm exposure and highly porous soils produce classic Chardonnay that exudes character.

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"The grapes, clones 76 and 95, are from a Black Sage Bench vineyard. This is a Chardonnay with considerable intensity, starting with buttery aromas and going on to flavours of mandarin orange and apricot. The finish is quite persistent."
98 points, John Schreiner

"Powerful and intense, this might be the most tightly wound of the submissions this time. It avoids big fruity nuances, controls the oak well and spends its time on structure and finesse, creating pop and power. The finish is one of the longest in the group, if not the longest. That's not to say it is lacking in fruit."
95 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

2018 Knight’s Challenge Chardonnay

Sunset Vineyard

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