Winemaker Notes
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.
In the centuries-old tradition of the "field blend" the 2008 Frog's Leap Zinfandel reveals the great character and multi-layered nuances of its almost forgotten varietals. The Zinfandel offers lush layers of wild raspberry and mulberry underscored with a touch of cinnamon and white pepper. The 'Pets' deepen the rich dark color, add a weighty mid-palate and strengthen the flavors of blueberry and spice while that dash of Carignane helps to drive the finish. The tannins are polished and the texture is plush. With an alcohol under 14% this wine is rich yet quaffable and is the perfect partner for your next barbeque.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A first rate Zinfandel. It shows the classic structure, dryness and tannins of a fine Napa Valley Cabernet, yet the pepper. baking spice and wild berry fruit and currant flavoers are uniquely Zin. And look at that alcohol. under 14%. Drink this roubust, complex wine with steaks, beef stew, tamales.
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.