CheckMate Artisanal Winery

About CheckMate Artisanal Winery

Behind closed doors, a daring initiative took place over the past four years. The goal: to make new world Chardonnay and Merlot with old world elegance in North America.
CheckMate Artisanal Winery is located just north of the 49th parallel on the Golden Mile Bench in British Columbia’s ecologically pristine Okanagan Valley. Glacial fed lakes stretch along a narrow valley floor at an altitude of more than 1,200 feet. The best wines start in the vineyard and, as the world warms, cool regions such as the Okanagan Valley consistently provide sufficient warmth during their growing seasons to fall within the climatic envelopes for these classic Burgundian and Bordeaux varietals.
The fruit is sourced from estate vineyards in unique locations, each of which offers a distinct expression of soil and mesoclimate. Everything is tended by hand: canopy management, leaf-pulling, cluster-thinning and picking are done manually to ensure precision and gentleness. Using time honoured, traditional techniques, each wine is vinified in the same manner, allowing nature to take its course without recourse to fining and filtration. This produces wines crafted to highlight their unique expression of terroir. The result has been the creation of “next world” wines, which are now available across Canada in the finest dining establishments.

Representative Biography

Greg Rowdan, Winemakert

A passionate and highly experienced winemaker, Greg Rowdon brings a global perspective and deep technical expertise to his role at Iconic Wineries of British Columbia. Originally from New Zealand, Greg moved to Canada to be part of the exciting evolution of the Okanagan Valley, drawn by the region’s potential to produce exceptional wines that can make an indelible mark on the world stage.
Greg’s journey into winemaking began at a young age, when as an ambitious high school student, he handwrote letters to every winery in Auckland to request advice on how to pursue a career in the field. Inspired by the responses he received, he followed the guidance to begin with a science degree, where he’d later study at the University of Auckland before gaining hands-on experience in the cellar. His first vintage at Matua confirmed his passion, leading him to complete his master’s in winemaking—one of the first graduates of the program—while conducting his research at Matua.
His early career at Matua saw him take on a hybrid role, immersing himself in every aspect of winemaking, from vineyard management to cellar operations. He quickly advanced to Assistant Winemaker and then Winemaker by 2007. In 2008, he co-founded Moncellier Wines with Matua’s founder, a venture that was later acquired by Treasury Wine Estates. Rejoining Treasury, Greg became Senior Winemaker at Matua, managing large-scale operations (25,000 tones) and leading a growing winemaking team. This experience paved the way for his move to Australia, where he served as Group Commercial Winemaker for the Southern Hemisphere, overseeing winemaking for brands such as Lindeman’s, 19 Crimes, and Yellow Glen.
Returning to New Zealand during the pandemic, Greg spent three years with Yealands as General Manager of Viticulture and Winemaking before a tenure at Villa Maria. In 2023, Greg made the international move to Canada to join Iconic Wineries of British Columbia in his current role of Vice President, Winemaking, where he’s responsible for overseeing the winemaking and viticulture operation for a collection of seven winery estates: Mission Hill Family Estate, Martin’s Lane, CheckMate Artisanal Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Road13 Vineyards, Liquidity, and Red Barn Winery at Jagged Rock. Having set roots in British Columbia with his family, he is energized by the opportunity to contribute to an emerging wine region, helping shape its identity and introduce the extraordinary Okanagan Valley to global wine enthusiasts.
For Greg, winemaking is an ever-evolving pursuit—a harmonious balance of science, art, and creativity. He thrives on the challenge of crafting the perfect wine, embracing the constant adaptation required in agriculture, and cherishing the shared experience of enjoying wine with others.
Beyond the cellar, Greg is a devoted husband and father of three. He spends his time exploring the outdoors, skiing across British Columbia’s unparalleled terrain, and continuing his lifelong passion for the water—growing up sailing in New Zealand instilled a love for the ocean that remains with him today.

Why We're Cool

CheckMate produces single vineyard and sub-regional Chardonnays, from vineyards spanning from the South Okanagan Valley to the US-Canadian Border. This area is home to diverse soil types, spread across the Golden Mile Bench DVA (BC’s only official Sub-GI), Black Sage Bench, and Osoyoos Lake Bench. This desert-like landscape holds within it multiple mesoclimates of various aspects and exposures with differences of up to 300 growing degree days, making this one of the most diverse winemaking regions in the world.

Work begins early in the season to minimize disease pressure, and yields are kept low to maximize flavour. Harvesting is completed by hand at night to preserve the quality of the fruit. The grapes are then stored in a cold room for 24 hours to allow for better fermentation control. The Chardonnay clusters then arrive at the winery in small picking containers, where each bunch is inspected, and hand sorted. The whole bunches are then taken directly to be gently pressed.

The next step is wild fermentation. Here a small battle occurs, as the naturally occurring strains of indigenous yeasts battle for supremacy during the fermenting process. These competing yeasts give the wines layers of texture and nuance. Malolactic fermentation gradually softens the wines during the 16-18 months cellaring in French burgundy barriques, which are 40% to 50% new oak. Long, cool ferments are crucial to the process of natural fermentation as it helps to retain the true fruit characters in the wines.

Finally, the finished wine goes to bottle – unfined and unfiltered to maintain the most complete expression of Chardonnay and terroir.