Phantom Creek 2019 Becker Cuvee 750ml

The Becker Vineyard history dates back 24 years when it first proved that late-ripening red varieties could thrive in the South Okanagan with precision viticulture. The original site that backs up against the Okanagan Highland Mountains on the Black Sage Bench is mostly replanted, but it is all performing well. In 2016 the mix was 39/35/26 merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. The first impression is very Okanagan. The nose is aromatic, mixing sagebrush, balsamic, and black fruits that spill across the palate with balance and grace. The texture and tannins are chalky and dense, supporting the plummy blackberry fruit streaked with black olives and dried herbs throughout the palate. Cellar through 2025 and beyond. The wine was barrel aged 18 months in 55 percent new French oak.

Score: 92 points -- Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, 2019