Winemaker Notes
Blend: 78% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah, 2% Carignane
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: One of Napa Valley's stalwart red wines, the Frog's Leap Zinfandel has always shown excellent flavors and balance. I have often called it a "claret style Zin." Never an overpowering wine, this is generally good upon release and develops well over a decade's time. TASTING NOTES: Medium to dark ruby color; bright very red-fruited in the aroma, with a wild dried leaf streak, excellent concentration, and persistence; medium bodied, perky and alive on the palate. Pair it with a brined rosemary and black pepper-accented oven baked pork tenderloin. (Tasted: February 6, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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.