Winemaker Notes
Yes, we have noticed that the monster Zins of the '70s are still in fashion. And yes, just like fashion they command monster prices based on their "big" alcohol, "big" flavors, and "big" bottles. But Frog's Leap Zin is different: you can't use this stuff to light your charcoal grill.
Maybe it's that we found our early inspiration for Zinfandel from a different source — instead of reinventing Zinfandel, we looked to the past and the incredible Zins of the '40s and '50s. Those wines taught us the lessons that the old-timers knew: that field blends of Petite Sirah, Carignane, and Napa Gamay all picked at ripeness (not as raisins) added color, aromatics, and earthy complexity. In other words, the help of other varietals was needed to reveal the Zinfandel grape's true flavors. These principles form the foundation for our wine today.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
This floral zin has a cool, wild blueberry tone edged by red spice. The zesty fruit brightens the tannins’ darker earth and mushroom savor. There’s tension to the structure, and harmonious balance in the length of flavor. Delicious now to decant for roast quail stuffed with wild mushrooms, this is also suited to age.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.