2013 Checkmate Artisanal Winery Chardonnay Little Pawn

Community Tasting Notes (12) Avg Score: 89.8 points

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  12/26/2022 - dcslack Does not like this wine: 63 Points

  I admit, I probably held onto this longer than I should have. Definitely not what I remember tasting when we were at the winery! I remember it being a nice buttery Chardonnay, but it has no complexity to speak of at all. Overall disappointing given the $100 price tag. Probably should have drank it about 5 years ago.
  
  Not much on the nose. On the palette, it’s nothing to write home about. A little effervescent too. I would describe the taste as mildly vegetal.

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  9/25/2021 - larms Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Finally started to tackle some Checkmate Little Pawn from the vertical box set purchased last year.
  
  Colour: colour was a beautiful pale golden hue, without imperfection and showing little signs of its age
  Nose: the nose offered the most here. Tropical aromas immediately greet the nose with pineapple and white peach, giving way to almond sliver and fresh cream. A few green notes make their way through but certainly as a complimentary note (green apple and pear)
  
  Palate: more of the same on the palate but everything in slightly shorter order. Green fruit and crispness come through more prominently as does the creamy nuttiness and mild lemon curd. Mouthfeel remained soft, delicate and silky without being overbearing but I felt the acidity was ever so slightly starting to creep up and I’m glad I opened this when I did. Not sure the fruit really came through enough to balance the acidity if you were planning to hold longer but would be curious to see where this went from here purely from a development stance.
  
  That said, this drank extremely nicely and polished (as Checkmate tends to do) and I cannot complain of the delivery. It definitely demonstrates the ability to age longer than many BC offerings but It it wuite worth the price? Perhaps not this vintage in terms of complexity. But all that said, this drinks extremely nicely and hard to complain about what it stands to offer 8 years on. I’d drink now personally, before it becomes slightly more disjointed.
  89/90, leaning 90 purely from the overall finish.

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  7/10/2021 - Mari_Coimbra Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Finally opened my 2013 Little Paw. It aged beautifully. Fantastic deep gold color and tons of butter and cream in the nose. The palate is remarkable with butterscotch, creme brûlée and vanilla notes. It’s past the drink window and is still an awesome Chard. The long finish brings a lot of the French oak to give you the chance to remember it for quite a long time.

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  7/3/2021 - rexmerlot wrote: 90 Points

  Still drinking very well. Nice acidity. Notes of apple and citrus. Many more years left in this wine.

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  6/16/2021 - Dover drunk wrote: 91 Points

  clear and crisp but not a Chardonnay guy..sorry

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