Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. Frog’s Leap winery is a real Napa institution that was founded in 1981 by John Williams and Larry Turley in an area known as Frog Farm since frogs were farmed there at the turn of the 19th century and sold in nearby San Francisco. John and Larry met by chance in the 1970s and vowed to set up a winery together after bonding over a couple of bottles of wine. After cutting their teeth at top Napa wineries including Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, the pair sold both their motorcycles to found their own winery since no bank was prepared to lend them the money. In 1995 Frog’s Leap moved to the Red Barn in Rutherford, marking a brand new chapter in the winery’s history. Today they only work with organically grown fruit and avoid irrigating any of their vineyards to optimise quality. Inspired by the magnificent Cabernets of Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyard, this powerful red is a classic Rutherford Cabernet with hints of dusty minerality from the gravelly and sandy soils. Made in an elegant, refined style rather than the stereotypical fruit bomb Napa Cabernet, this robust red exudes succulent dark berry, ripe cherry and hints of dried herbs. On the nose there is a generous full body, firm tannins and well-built structure which will respond well to additional cellaring. Hold in the cellar for another decade or so or enjoy now paired with hearty red meat dishes.
