Checkmate 2019 Silent Bishop Merlot 750ml

Silent Bishop sits at an elevation of 1027 to 1306 ft. The fruit is handpicked off the cooler Western Benches (Oliver North, Golden Mile Bench, and Osoyoos West Bench) and is wild fermented. It spends 21 months in new French oak. The west side offers a multitude of red and black fruit nuances mixing tobacco and mocha with blackberries and raspberries, with scrubby desert notes underneath. A diversity of soils, aspects, and sun exposures leads to a complex Bordelais style. The final blend is 87/9/4 merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot.

Score: 92 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, 2022