CheckMate Artisanal Winery
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is a private, allocation-driven BC winery producing tiny quantities of single-vineyard Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc from seven small-block Okanagan vineyards, sold direct-to-consumer to wine collectors via a capacity-constrained Wine Club, mailing list, and on-premise tastings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersOliver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CheckMate Artisanal Winery does
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is a private, family-controlled artisanal winery located in Oliver, British Columbia, in the South Okanagan Valley, approximately 100 kilometers north of the U.S. border. The company produces highly limited quantities of Chardonnay and Merlot wines, and as of 2023 has added Cabernet Franc following cold-weather damage to Merlot blocks. Wines are sourced from seven small-block vineyards, some with as few as 11 rows and vines up to 50 years old, grown at elevations up to 1,200 feet (365 meters). The winery employs between 11 and 50 staff and is operated through Mark Anthony Presents...Inc., the corporate entity of founder Anthony von Mandl.
Production follows a minimal-intervention philosophy: gravity-based winemaking, manual hand-sorting of every grape cluster, wild and cultivated yeast fermentation, bâtonnage lees stirring, aging in French cooperage alongside concrete eggs, and unfined/unfiltered bottling. The estate facility was designed by architect Tom Kundig. The portfolio comprises single-vineyard Chardonnays (Queen Taken, Capture, Little Pawn, Fool's Mate), single-vineyard and blended Merlots (Silent Bishop, Black Rook, Opening Gambit, End Game), and the inaugural 2023 Black Rook Cabernet Franc.
CheckMate sells almost exclusively direct to consumers through an allocation-driven model: a six-bottle Wine Club (currently waitlisted) and a twelve-bottle Wine Club (at capacity, invitation only) ship bi-annually, with remaining inventory offered to a mailing list. Tasting experiences are priced at $50 per guest (Four Moves) and $90 per guest (The Grandmaster's Table), complimentary for members. Distribution is otherwise confined to a handful of retailers in BC and AB; wines cannot ship to NT, NU, or YT. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and no discounts are offered.
CheckMate Artisanal Winery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CheckMate Artisanal Winery
- Legal name
- Mark Anthony Presents...Inc.
- Website
- https://checkmatewinery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CheckMate Artisanal Winery is a private, allocation-driven BC winery producing tiny quantities of single-vineyard Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc from seven small-block Okanagan vineyards, sold direct-to-consumer to wine collectors via a capacity-constrained Wine Club, mailing list, and on-premise tastings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CheckMate Artisanal Winery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisanal Wines
- NAICS
- Wineries (31213), Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)
Keywords
Where CheckMate Artisanal Winery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oliver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CheckMate Artisanal Winery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wine Sales (Direct-to-Consumer): Wines are sold directly to consumers through the winery's own sales channels. Production is in tiny quantities and fully allocated upon release. Members receive guaranteed allocations through bi-annual shipments. The twelve-bottle membership is currently at capacity and by invitation only, while the six-bottle membership has a waitlist. Remaining wines are released to the mailing list as available.
- Estate Tastings: Paid tasting experiences offered at the winery including 'Four Moves' ($50 per guest) and 'The Grandmaster's Table' ($90 per guest). These are complimentary for members.
- Shipping and Handling: Additional revenue from shipping wines to customers within Canada via ATS Healthcare, with flat-rate shipping by province. Members receive complimentary shipping on all orders (excluding NT, NU, YT).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Four Moves Tasting Experience |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Grandmaster's Table Experience |
| Subscription | Annual | Six-Bottle Wine Club Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Twelve-Bottle Wine Club Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
CheckMate Artisanal Winery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CheckMate Artisanal Winery produces highly limited quantities of single-vineyard Chardonnay and Merlot wines (plus a newly released Cabernet Franc) from seven small-block vineyards in the South Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Wines are sold direct-to-consumer primarily through wine club membership allocations and a mailing list, supplemented by paid estate tasting experiences. The winery operates on a scarcity-based allocation model in which each release is fully subscribed at launch.
Product overview
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is a small-batch, highly limited winery specializing in single-vineyard Chardonnays (Queen Taken, Capture, Little Pawn, Fool's Mate) and Merlots (Silent Bishop, Black Rook, Opening Gambit, End Game), with their inaugural 2023 Black Rook Cabernet Franc marking their first new red varietal. Wines are produced in tiny quantities and are fully allocated upon release, primarily through membership programs (six-bottle and invitation-only twelve-bottle tiers) and a mailing list. The winery offers premium tasting experiences including the Four Moves and Grandmaster's Table guided tastings, with all experiences complimentary for members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Queen Taken Chardonnay Single-vineyard Chardonnay sourced from low-yielding vines up to 50 years of age at the Dekleva-Combret Vineyard on the Golden Mile Bench, offering deep concentration and vibrant, rich flavors.
- Capture Chardonnay Single-vineyard Chardonnay from Border Vista Vineyard on the US-Canada border, CheckMate's warmest site, producing a full-bodied wine with generous fruit and intense precision.
- Little Pawn Chardonnay Single-vineyard Chardonnay from Jagged Rock Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench, planted in 1999 with clone 76 and heritage Dekleva clone on a west-facing plateau with sand and gravel glacial soils.
- Fool's Mate Chardonnay Blend of CheckMate's vineyard sites representing the best expression of Chardonnay in the Okanagan Valley, combining complexity and elegance from multiple terroir-driven sources.
- Silent Bishop Merlot Merlot sourced from the west side of the Okanagan Valley facing delicate morning sun, producing a wine of freshness, dark fruit, and structured character.
- Black Rook Merlot Merlot from Black Sage Bench south of Oliver, surrounded by wild sage brush responsible for the floral signature of this ripe and opulent wine.
- Opening Gambit Merlot Rich and layered concentrated Merlot from the warm exposure and porous soils found on the east side of Osoyoos, exemplifying Okanagan Valley terroir.
- End Game Merlot Blend of CheckMate's vineyard sites showcasing the class and pedigree of Okanagan Valley Merlot through careful selection and assembly.
- Black Rook Cabernet Franc Cabernet Franc suited to the valley's long days and short season, capable of density without losing freshness, representing CheckMate's transition from Merlot after cold events impacted Black Sage Bench Merlot vineyards.
- Four Moves Tasting Experience Guided seated tasting featuring four Chardonnays, revealing the precision and intent behind CheckMate's most celebrated wines, priced at $50 per guest and complimentary for wine club members.
- The Grandmaster's Table Experience Immersive privately guided tasting across the CheckMate estate featuring the winery's most lauded Chardonnays, tailored to palate and complemented by refined culinary pairings, priced at $90 per guest and complimentary for members.
- Six-Bottle Wine Club Membership Subscription membership offering first access to new releases, concierge services, exclusive events, library and large format access, and complimentary estate experiences and shipping; currently accepting waitlist subscribers.
- Twelve-Bottle Wine Club Membership Premium membership tier currently at capacity and open by invitation only, offering enhanced allocation priority and exclusive benefits beyond the six-bottle membership.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100-point score achieved six times in seven years for Little Pawn Chardonnay
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CheckMate Artisanal Winery
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CheckMate Artisanal Winery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
CheckMate Artisanal Winery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CheckMate Artisanal Winery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Mission Hill Family Estate: Flagship BC winery in the Okanagan with broader portfolio and wine tourism destination model. Comparable as a British Columbia premium-wine operator; broader in scale and distribution than CheckMate.
- Painted Rock Estate Winery: Family-run Okanagan Valley boutique producing limited, age-worthy red blends from estate vineyards. Comparable as a premium, terroir-focused Okanagan winery with direct-to-consumer emphasis, though not allocation-only.
Broad incumbents
- Domaine de la Romanée-Conti: Iconic Burgundy producer and global benchmark for allocation-driven, scarcity-based ultra-premium wine. The archetype CheckMate explicitly references for Burgundy-style positioning and collector-driven demand.
Direct peers
- Sine Qua Non: California cult winery producing tiny quantities of Chardonnay and Rhône-style reds, allocated via mailing list with long waitlists. Closest analogue in production philosophy, scarcity model, and collector-grade positioning.
- Screaming Eagle: Napa cult Cabernet allocated exclusively through a mailing list with multi-year waitlists. Comparable allocation-only, scarcity-driven DTC model and ultra-premium price realization.
- Hundred Acre Wine Company: Napa cult producer of small-lot Cabernet with long mailing-list waitlists and collector demand. Comparable scarcity-driven, single-vineyard, score-led business model.
- Cayuse Vineyards: Walla Walla biodynamic producer with mailing-list-only allocation and cult following. Comparable small-lot, terroir-driven, allocation-only release model and prestige-tier critical reception.
- Marcassin Vineyard: Sonoma Coast Chardonnay specialist with cult status, small production, and high critic scores. Direct analogue as a Chardonnay-focused artisanal winery with allocation-style availability.
- Kongsgaard Wine: Napa artisanal winery producing tiny quantities of Chardonnay and Cabernet from hillside vineyards. Comparable minimal-intervention philosophy, hand-farming, and allocation-based release cadence.
- Aubert Wines: Carneros/Napa producer specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with high scores from critics. Comparable as a small-lot, score-driven Chardonnay specialist with limited distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CheckMate Artisanal Winery social profiles
Digital presenceCheckMate Artisanal Winery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CheckMate Artisanal Winery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
CheckMate Artisanal Winery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CheckMate Artisanal Winery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CheckMate Artisanal Winery
What does CheckMate Artisanal Winery do?
CheckMate Artisanal Winery produces highly limited quantities of single-vineyard Chardonnay and Merlot wines (plus a newly released Cabernet Franc) from seven small-block vineyards in the South Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Wines are sold direct-to-consumer primarily through wine club membership allocations and a mailing list, supplemented by paid estate tasting experiences. The winery operates on a scarcity-based allocation model in which each release is fully subscribed at launch.
Is CheckMate Artisanal Winery a public or private company?
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CheckMate Artisanal Winery founded?
CheckMate Artisanal Winery was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CheckMate Artisanal Winery based?
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is headquartered in Oliver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does CheckMate Artisanal Winery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Wine Sales (Direct-to-Consumer) is the primary driver. The others are estate Tastings and shipping and Handling.
Who are CheckMate Artisanal Winery's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Mission Hill Family Estate and Painted Rock Estate Winery. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Sine Qua Non, Screaming Eagle, Hundred Acre Wine Company, Cayuse Vineyards, Marcassin Vineyard, Kongsgaard Wine and Aubert Wines.
Does CheckMate Artisanal Winery have an API?
No public API is recorded for CheckMate Artisanal Winery.
What industry is CheckMate Artisanal Winery in?
CheckMate Artisanal Winery's product category is Artisanal Wines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAB, Wine Production & Winemaking, with a secondary code of AFAGAJAJ, Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets). Its NAICS code is 31213 and its SIC code is 2080.