Friday, June 28, 2013

Robert Sinskey Vineyard

Robert Sinskey Vineyards is located up against the hill on east side of Silverado Trail.  It was founded in 1988 by Dr. Robert Sinskey, an ophthalmologist,  as an upcoming retirement hobby, but when his retirement was delayed, his son, Rob Sinskey, stepped in to run the winery and has remained involved since. They have 200 acres of vineyard that is certified organically and biodynamically farmed.  The grounds at the winery are not very large but there is an outdoor patio and the building itself is lovely.  They also have a demonstration kitchen inside near the tasting area. The tasting fee is $25, with a $15 refund provided with the purchase of two full bottles of wine or the equivalent.  "Daily bites" are provided automatically with the tasting and includes olives, almonds, cheese, etc.



Our tasting began with the Robert Sinskey 2012 Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard, Los Carneros Abraxas, Vin de Terroir at $36 a bottle. It is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer.  It had a very nice nose of flowers and spice.  On the palate it was fairly dry and refreshing, mostly pear and lemon, with some minerality and a medium length finish. Quite pleasant and easy to recommend.


Next up was the Robert Sinskey Los Carneros 2012 Pinot Blanc at $22 a half bottle.  This had very good nose of apples and flowers with good minerality on the palate.  It was more round and softer than I prefer in a Pinot Blanc, with pear, apple and some lime along with  a medium length finish.  If you like this style Pinot Blanc, one that is not in the more austere Alsatian style, this might appeal to you.



The third pour was the Robert Sinskey Los Carneros 2010 Pinot Noir at $38. The ruby color was lovely and the nose quite good with red cherry and some distinct cranberry.  On the palate it was very smooth and well balanced, mostly red cherry with some strawberry.  This medium bodied Pinot Noir had a medium length but very pleasant finish. A nice Carneros Pinot.




Robert Sinskey 2009 POV at $38.  This is a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blend in the Right Bank Bordeaux style.  It was aged for 19 months in 30% new French oak.  It had a good nose of black cherry and plum.  On the palate it was round and full with good tannins and structure along with black cherry, blackcurrant and fennel. It is quite drinkable alone but would pair well with steak.  Should cellar well. 


Robert Sinskey Los Carneros 2007 Marcien Proprietary Red at $90.  This is a Right Bank Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It was aged for 18 months in French oak with 35% being new oak.  675 cases were produced. The nose was somewhat light but complex with some spice and earth notes. It had great balance, very good tannins and excellent fruit with some spice and a long finish of cherry and forest floor.  It was an interesting and complex wine with a fantastic finish. Highly recommended.



Robert Sinskey Vineyards offers an interesting line up of premium wines in a large picturesque, cathedral like tasting room with vaulted ceilings and rock walls.  It is easy to find and has ample parking.  Service was friendly and informative.  Definitely worth a visit.




6320 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 944-9090
Date of visit: June 28, 2013








Oakville Ranch Vineyards

Oakville Ranch is an amazing winery.  The wines are phenomenal.  The views are spectacular.  The hospitality is superb.  They are also extremely eco friendly. Great place.  Much thanks to Shelia for hosting us during this wonderful experience!  You will need an advance appointment.

View over Napa Valley


Oakville Ranch Vineyards is on the eastern side of the Oakville Appellation in Napa Valley, situated near the top of the Vaca Mountain range at about 1400 feet above the valley floor.  This magical Shangri-la like winery and vineyard is surrounded by red volcanic soil with many large rocks and a rugged, inhospitable landscape that makes you appreciate the imagination of anybody who would establish a winery here.  The weather is hot, getting the full brunt of the afternoon sun that is much gentler on western portion of the Oakville AVA.  A long abandoned stagecoach trail winds through the nearby terrain heading from Napa Valley to Sacramento. Building and maintaining a winery here is obviously difficult and expensive and only a hand full of other small, exclusive wineries such as Dalla Valle are located nearby on the drive up.  The narrow winding road seems to take forever to go up the mountain, but when you arrive you can see that the Silverado Trail down below is not so far away.  The expansive view of Napa Valley is amazingly beautiful.


View toward Napa Valley

Bob and Mary Miner purchased the 350 acre property back in 1989 and planted 55 acres of vineyard.  Bob, who died in 1994, was a cofounder of Oracle. Mary Miner continues to own the winery and is very active in managing it.  She recently hired Shelia Gentry, formerly of Harlan Estate, as their new Sales and Marketing Manager.  Shelia was our charming, knowledgeable host for the visit.  Her enthusiasm for the winery was infectious.

View toward Napa Valley


There are now 75 acres of planted vineyard.  It is certified organically farmed and biodynamic methods are also followed. Solar power provides 100% of the electricity and 1% of the net revenues of the ranch are donated to the Napa Valley Land Trust for conservation efforts and preservation of wilderness land.  Cover crops encourage beneficial insects while raptor roosts and owl nesting boxes encourage natural gopher control.  Special water-seeking rootstock are used in the vineyards to help with erosion control and to minimize the need for irrigation. The main historical house, a five bedroom guest house, a small swimming pool, a tennis court and some interesting sculptures, including one by Henry Moore, are nestled together in a small green oasis on the 350 acre property that is still mostly natural, undeveloped land.

Some of the undeveloped area.
Note red soil.

The red soil in this small, eastern section of Oakville is famous.  Millions of years ago there was a massive collapse of the earth when hundreds of feet of iron rich debris tumbled down the mountain.  Eventually this eroded into clay loam, the strikingly red color coming from the oxidized or rusted iron.  Wine critic, Steve Heimoff, wrote an article about this soil for The Wine Enthusiast Magazine:  What’s So Special About East Oakville? Soil.


Henry Moore sculpture

Although all of the wines Oakville Ranch produces are from grapes grown on their own estate, about half of the grapes they grow are sold to other premium wineries, which have include some of the most famous and high end wineries in Napa Valley. Oakville Ranch grows low yield, high demand, crème de la crème grapes.  I was, therefore, surprised that the prices were relatively affordable, given such premium grapes.

Tasting patio

After an interesting and spectacular tour around the property on an electric all terrain vehicle, we sat down for a tasting that was accompanied by a cheese plate.  Usually the tastings are outside on the patio, but because of the unusually hot weather that day, we sat inside instead.  Oakville Ranch is not open to the public, but tasting appointments may be made.  The tasting fee is $50.

Grounds


First up, after some glasses of water, was the Oakville Ranch 2011 Chardonnay at $50.  It was barrel aged for ten months in 100% French oak and 50 cases plus 10 cases of magnums were produced.  It was light gold in color with lovely green hues and a very nice aroma of white peaches and pears.  On the palate I got pear, melon, and lemon with great balance.  It had substantial body but was still crisp and clean.  The finish was long and very good with the addition of toast and some distinct and very pleasant honeysuckle.  An excellent Chardonnay.

Office and guest house

Next poured was the Oakville Ranch 2010 Field Blend at $55.  This is 32% Zinfandel, 32% Petite Verdot, 19% Primitivo and 17% Petite Sirah and it was barrel aged in French oak with 25% being new oak.  147 cases were produced.  After a light nose I got blackberry, black cherry and a little raspberry in a very fresh fruit presentation that comes together with decent structure, good acid and interesting tannins.  The finish was medium length.  This is an interesting, multi dimensional wine for one so pleasantly fruit forward and approachable.  I liked it a lot.

Patio behind main house

Third up was the Oakville Ranch 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon at $82.  It is 100% Cab and was aged for 21 months in French oak with 80% of that being new oak.  516 cases plus 15 cases of magnums were produced.  A lovely red-purple with rose hues, it had a good aroma of cherry and toast.  On the palate I got cherry, black currant, and plum with some baking spices, beautifully balanced, very smooth and interlaced with great tannins that were chalky and subtle. Finish was medium length.  This is a really outstanding Cabernet that fascinates and delights.  It seemed more complex and interesting than it should be for one still being so youthful.  It is quite drinkable now.  Exceptional.

View toward valley


I must confess that after tasting the Cabernet Sauvignon I expected it to be the outstanding wine of the tasting and was caught off guard by the final pour which was the Oakville Ranch 2009 Robert's Blend at $98.  I am quite fond of Cabernet Francs but have encountered very few of them that can stand alone.  I don't mind some herbaceousness in a Cab Franc but dislike that green, vegetative, unripe characteristic that many of them have.  This one is 97% Cabernet Franc with 3% Cabernet Sauvignon added.  It was aged for 22 months in French oak with 75% of this being new oak.  240 6-pack cases were produced.  Let me start out by saying that this is a phenomenal Cabernet Franc, one of the finest I have ever tasted.  In the glass it is deep purple with pinkish highlights around the edges.  It has a very good nose of black cherry, toasted oak and forest floor.  On the palate it is incredibly intense, lush and sumptuous without being overwhelming.  The balance is perfect.  It is hard to know where to begin describing this wine.  Fruit wise I got black cherry with blueberry and black currant.  But it has all sorts of lovely undercurrents of flavors with good lively acid and great tannins.  It seems like there is so much going on that it shouldn't all be able to come together so well, but it does.  If that isn't enough, it has a long to-die-for finish.  It is an amazing wine and I would have to sit down and spend a lot of time with it to do it justice in any description. This is the ultimate Cabernet Franc that does true justice to the varietal, bringing out all of the best.  No wonder they have named this wine after Robert Miner.  What a wonderful tribute. 

View overlooking the valley


7781 Silverado Trail
Napa CA 94558
Phone: 707-944-9665
Date of visit: June 28, 2013




View near pool

Pool view over Napa Valley
Zen garden
Mushroom garden
Zen garden
Grounds
Zen garden

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Jamieson Ranch Vineyards with Reata,Whiplash and Light Horse Wines

Exciting  changes are happening at Jamieson Ranch Vineyards.  The 300 acre vineyard that was previously known as Reata Winery, Valley Gate Vineyards and Kirkland Winery is now known as Jamieson Ranch, although one of their wine labels will continue to be named Reata.  This spectacular winery, formerly a part of General Vallejo's historic Rancho Suscol, is located on Highway 12 on the Napa side of Jameson (rather than "Jamieson") Canyon just across from the Chardonnay Country Club.  Being near Carneros and San Pablo Bay, it has a fairly similar climate that is especially conducive to growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals.


Front entrance

There is ample parking in front of the building where you will be greeted by the horse statue named "Whiplash."  Reata, by the way, means lariat in Spanish and there is a western ranch motif throughout the building which is reminiscent of a western mountain lodge. It use to be the home of a large cattle and horse ranch, dating back some 200 years, and there are still some cattle and sheep on the property grazing on cover crops between vineyard rows along with 60,000 resident bees that provide honey combs for the tasting room. The vineyard is organically and biodynamically farmed.  Over 100 of the 300 acres are vineyards.

View of Napa Valley

Jamieson Ranch has a spectacular view of Napa Valley looking out toward Carneros and the southern end of Napa Valley.  Despite the proximity to Highway 12, it is fairly quiet and seems rather secluded.  The winery features three elegant and unique spaces: the Skytop Salon, the Overlook Veranda and the Observation Gallery.  The very spacious (3,000 square feet) tasting room is on the second floor with the offices and a large special event area for entertainment and dining on the third floor.  A large outside lounge area on the wraparound veranda offers sweeping views of the valley.  It is a great place for meetings, private parties and wedding receptions.


Tasting bar

Jamieson Ranch is very food oriented and will be hosting many food and wine events.  In addition to offering food pairings and having a new executive chef, they have an organic culinary garden outside.  A new winemaker, Nori Nakamura, joined them almost a year ago, and a new president (William Leigon), executive chef (Chef Brian) and director of hospitality (Douglas Gibbon) have all joined the Jamieson Ranch ranks in recent months.

Whiplash

In addition to being environmentally and food friendly, Jamieson Ranch Vineyards is also a very community oriented winery.  There are many changes planned, including the creation of a miniature horse stables that will provide therapeutic interactions for autistic children.  This will be under the charitable organization called Light Horse.  They will also issue a line of wines under the Light Horse label. Much thanks to William Leigon for his invitation and warm reception and for Douglas Gibbon who was our impeccable host.


Vineyard

Jamieson Ranch Vineyards is open daily from 10 to 5 without an appointment.  The Barrel Tour and Tasting Barrel may be arranged in advance for $20.  Cheese plates may be ordered with a tasting with prices ranging from $10 to $25.  The tasting fee of $15 is waived with a wine purchase. Varietals include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Viognier, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gringo and Syrah.  Some grapes, such as the Cabernet Sauvignon, are sourced from other vineyards. Many of these wines are very limited production and available exclusively at the winery. Picnics are allowed and it is pet friendly.


Patio


Our tasting began with a very lovely Reata 2010 Napa Valley Viognier that sells for $35.  A light gold in color, it had an intense aroma of white peach, honeysuckle and vanilla.  On the palate it was well balanced with refreshing fresh fruit, mostly peach and stone fruits, followed by a medium length but very pleasant dry finish with some minerality.  It is a fairly dry Viognier with a residual sugar of .07% but is remarkably fruity in the best sense of the word.  The temperature during our visit was in the nineties outside and this would be the ideal wine to drink if we were out on the patio, but this Viognier was so delectable that I loved it just as much in the air conditioned tasting room.  It is one our favorite Napa Valley Viogniers and will be added to the list of our favorite wines of Napa Valley.


Culinary garden

The second pour was the Reata 2010 Napa Valley Chardonnay at $35.  11,500 cases were produced. We were told that it saw 80% malolactic conversion.  (It had some buttered toast character, but the acid balances it nicely.)  It did not see any new French oak but was in two to five year oak.  I do not like over oaking in a Chardonnay, and this one was not.  It had a pale straw color and, for a Chardonnay, a rather intense nose of peach, pineapple and some minerality.  On the palate it was white peach, pineapple and some minerality, with more tropical fruit than your usual Chardonnay but was balanced with good acid. It was not as dry as many Chardonnays.  Finish was medium length.  A decent Chard that will appeal to those who like a softer style Chardonnay.

Third in line was the Reata 2012 Carneros Rose of Pinot Noir at $24.  I must confess that neither of us are fond of most roses.  I do like some French ones and found one Portuguese one I liked for its aroma, but even when American roses are not excessively sweet, they are almost invariably uninteresting.  This Rose had a nice fruity nose and decent acid to balance the sweetness.  It was drier than most American roses.  Do try it if you like roses.

Our fourth sample was the Reata 2011 "Aurelius" California White Blend at $24.  It is mostly Gewürztraminer with an undisclosed percentage of Chardonnay, a rather unusual blend. It was a pale gold in color with a good floral Gewurtztraminer nose.  On the palate I got peaches, lychees, mangos and some spice.  Although it is considered off dry (Residual sugar is 2.04%), a fair amount sweetness came through, although it was balanced with good acid and fruit.  This was not as dry as some Alsatian Gewürztraminers (which are sometimes blended with various percentages of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and/or Pinot Gris.) Finish was medium length and pleasantly floral and fruity.  This is an interesting wine and is great by itself but has the structure and dryness to pair with some food. Easy to recommend.


Entertainment room

We moved into red wines with the Reata 2011 Napa/Sonoma Pinot Noir at $30.  This is from grapes from both Napa and Sonoma Counties.  30% of it was in new French oak for 14 months.  Production was 5,995 cases.  A light purple in color, it had a very good aroma for a Pinot.  I got mostly raspberry.  On the palate it was very well balanced with refreshing bright red fruit, mostly cherry and strawberry.  Soft tannins were beautifully integrated.  It is still young so the fresh fruit is prominent, but this Pinot has enough structure to age well for the next few years.  I must confess that it is so pleasant to drink right now, that I'd have a difficult time putting any away.  One of the better Pinots we have encountered at a very good price point.  You might find more complexity and lushness in a Pinot at two or three times the price, but you could also pay much more and obtain something not nearly as appealing. It is great alone but will pair very well with many dishes.  It will go on our list of our favorite wines. Highly recommended and a good buy at this price.

Our final pour was the Reata 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $45.  Very deep in color it had a very good aroma of black cherries and spices.  On the palate I got cherry and plum with good tannins and a medium body.  Finish was moderate length.  This is not a powerful Cab and is not one I would cellar, but it is very drinkable now either by itself or with food.  Recommended for its great aroma and easy drinkability. 


View

Jamieson Ranch Vineyards is a winery you really should visit.  We especially recommend the Viognier and Pinot Noir, the two varietals we thought were the most outstanding.  We also had a delicious cheese plate (see photos) to accompany our tasting and highly recommend it.  In addition to very good wines, Jamieson Ranch has lovely views and a beautiful setting.  If you have not visited them, you really should.  Also, consider them if you have any special events or are interested in one of their exciting wine and food pairings.  It looks like many interesting events will be offered at Jamieson Ranch so I plan to keep them on my radar.  We hope to return fairly soon and look forward to tasting wines by the new winemaker, Nori Nakamura.


Cheese plate

Jamieson Ranch Vineyards
1 Kirkland Ranch Road
Napa, CA  94558

(707) 254-8673(707) 254-8673
Date of visit: June 27, 2013
Jamieson Ranch Vineyards is open daily from 10 to 5 without an appointment. They might be closed on certain holidays, so you might want to call ahead to make sure they are open when you want to visit.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

August Briggs Winery

August Briggs Winery is a small employee owned winery located on the main street in downtown Calistoga. August Joe Briggs, who goes by his middle name, began producing wine under the August Briggs label in 1995.  In 2003 he built a winery on Silverado Trail where they remained until a few years ago when the winery was sold to another producer, and they moved the August Briggs tasting room to the current location.  The label is now owned by Joe's nephew (and primary winemaker) plus three other partners who were all long time employees. The owners themselves also run the tasting room so that the person pouring your wine is most likely one of the owners.  Much thanks to Lisa, one of the owners, for hosting us.

Entry

The winery is open to the public without reservations.  Tastings for five wines is only $5 and this is waived for any wine purchase.  Most of the wines are priced at under $40.  A parking lot is next to the tasting room and spaces are reserved for visitors, so parking is not an issue.

Tasting bar

August Briggs sources grapes from various vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties and has no vineyards of its own.  These include Pinot Noirs from Russian River and from Carneros, as well as the unusual varietals Charbono and Pinot Meunier plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Chardonnay and Zinfandel.   

Gift shop

Our tasting began with the August Briggs 2011 Leveroni Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay that sells for $32.  It is a mix of Wente and Robert Young clones, with this being their fifteenth vintage.  30% of it saw new French oak for six months, and the rest was in two to three year old French barrels.  It received 50% malolactic conversion.  Only 335 cases were produced.  It was a sparkling light straw in color with a nice nose of melon, lemon and vanilla.  On the palate it was very smooth, rather rich and somewhat buttery but well balanced with mostly lemon, melon, pear and a touch of toasted oak.  Finish was pleasant and medium length. A decent Chard at the price.

The second pour was the August Briggs 2010 Russian River Pinot Noir at $38.  It saw 30% new French oak for 9 months, and 345 cases were produced.  After a light cherry aroma I got mostly rather lush cherry, strawberry and vanilla on the palate.  Pleasantly fruity with good body, very nicely interlaced tannins and a good medium length plus finish, this is a Pinot that would be hard not to like.  Both of us liked it a lot.  I later shared a bottle at dinner with two friends and both of them raved about it.  A very good Pinot for the price.

Third up was the August Briggs 2010 Carneros Pinot Noir at $40.  25% of it saw new French oak for 9 months and 197 cases were produced.  After a light nose I got bright red cherry on the palate with a medium length finish.  This Pinot is still young and should improve with time. We both preferred the Russian River Pinot, although the two are quite different.  This one from Carneros still needs some time to mature.

Only 96 cases of the lovely August Briggs 2010 Page Nord Napa Valley Syrah were produced.  It sells for $32 and it the ninth vintage from the Page-Nord Vineyard near Yountville.  40% of it was in new French oak for 16 months.  A beautiful deep purple in color, this is one to hold up to the light to admire.  The fairly light aroma was mostly blackberry.  On the palate it was full bodied with ripe blackberry, lots of spice and some toast.  It was rich without being too fruit forward and had very nice balance and structure.  The finish was long and quite pleasant.  It is very drinkable now but should age well. Both of us liked this as much as we did the Russian River Pinot and highly recommend it!

Lovely label


Next up was the August Briggs 2009 Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $55, on sale for $45.  259 cases were produced. Monte Rosso is a famous vineyard in the Mayacamas Mountains, 1,000 feet above the Sonoma Valley floor that is noted for its rich red volcanic soil and very flavorful wines.  Deep in color with cherry and vanilla on the nose, this has red cherry, plums and mostly red fruit on the palate with very good tannins and excellent structure.  A very nice Cab that is quite drinkable now, this also has the structure to age well. 

Our final tasting was the August Briggs 2010 Calistoga Napa Valley Petite Sirah at $38.  30% of it saw new American oak for 16 months and 206 cases were produced.  It was deep ruby and purple in color with a blackberry aroma.  On the palate it was rich ripe blackberries with some toast and an especially pleasant long finish.  It is not overly tannic as some Petite Sirahs can be and should have a very wide appeal.  Quite nice and easy to recommend.



Club member tasting bar


Although we liked all the wines at August Briggs, the Russian River Pinot and the Syrah were our favorites.  It would have been interesting to taste the Charbono because the only other Napa Valley Charbono I remember tasting recently is the one from Summers Winery, also in Calistoga.  August Briggs should be complemented for their very affordable tasting fee that is waived with any purchase, making it essentially a complimentary tasting.  They are also a small, friendly, employee owned winery where you will not find crowded busloads of tourists.  The winery is easy to find, has ample parking and makes very nice wines that are well worth tasting or purchasing, so a visit is highly recommended next time you are in Calistoga.  It is especially worth visiting if you like Pinot Noirs.

1307 Lincoln Ave
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-4912
Date of visit: June 19, 2013


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Frog's Leap Winery

Frog's Leap Winery is well known as a winery that everybody loves, with their great wines, incredible tours, beautiful setting, fantastic sense of humor and lovely hospitality.  Our expectations were high, and we were not disappointed, but we really did not expect to see frogs literally leaping at Frog's Leap Winery.  But they were!


Red Barn

Frogs were leaping in the lawn at Frog's Leap Winery.  Honestly.  There were hundreds of them.  What else should we have expected at a winery that has "ribbit" printed on their corks and whose motto is:  "Time's fun when you are having flies."  Even the parking sign points to the left for "Work" and the other way for "Play."  (We took a sharp right!)





There is no tasting bar at Frog's Leap.  It is more like an upscale restaurant where you sit at tables on the patio or inside, have a gorgeous view and then receive the ultimate in hospitality.  Whether you go for just a tasting or one of their famous tours, you will need reservations but  you will receive special attention and not have to elbow your way through crowds of tourists disembarking from buses.  It is a very popular place, but the reservations work to your advantage and they can easily be arranged.  Much thanks to Terry Joanis for being so helpful and friendly and arranging our tour.

Vineyard House

But don't just go for the tasting.  Take the tour.  It is an hour and a half long and includes the tasting, all for the same $20 that you would pay for the tasting alone.  It is a bargain either way.  I can't tell you how many wine tours I've been on over the past forty years.  After awhile they all seem pretty much the same, and the level of learning seems minimal.  Hendry Winery and Vineyard is a notable exception and so is Frog's Leap.  It is a great tour, very animated and informative, done with the utmost hospitality and humor to spare.  Seth does an awesome job as a tour host!  Tours just don't get any better than this.  Much thanks to Seth for a fantastic tour and tasting experience.


Seth, our tour guide


Lounge

But first, some history about Frog's Leap Winery and John Williams, the owner.  There are many stories in Napa Valley and this is one of the famous ones.  It began in the 1970s when John Williams, now owner of Frog's Leap, pitched a tent, unannounced, on Dr. Larry Turley's property, after he was unable to reach him by phone.  His interest had changed from cheese making to vinting and a friend had recommended he talk to Larry Turley.  Larry Turley, finding a stranger in a tent on his property, approached on his motorcycle and began revving the engine until the stranger came out of his tent.  You will learn more details during the tour, but basically the two became friends and John Williams began working at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.  Eventually in 1981 he and Larry Turley founded the Frog's Leap Winery at a site that use to raise frogs for gourmet  restaurants in San Francisco back in the late 1800's.  It was known as the "Frog Farm" and was in St. Helena next to Mills Creek.  There is also a story about how it got its name from a slip up in words John Williams made in a speech he gave, but I'll leave that and a few other stories. such as the one about their famous label, for the tour guide since he tells them so well.

Tasting table

In 1994 the two decided to go their separate ways because they had such different taste in wines.  Larry Turley opened Turley Wines and John Williams moved Frog's Leap to their current 130 acre site in Rutherford with its historic Red Barn where Adamson Winery had originally been established at the site in 1884.  In 2005 he built the Vineyard House, where you will either experience your tasting or begin your tour.  It is a lovely setting, but I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  I assume there are frogs in the goldfish pond and that is where all the little frogs in the lawn came from. I imagine there is a story about this.  Perhaps John Williams played a flute and lured the frogs away from the previous frog farm.  Or perhaps they fled from nearby vineyards that use pesticides and found a haven at Frog's Leap Winery.  That is where I'd go if I was a frog.

Grounds

John Williams and Frog's Leap Winery demonstrate the utmost in environmental concern and it is not just "lip service."  In 1988 Frog's Leap became Napa Valley's first officially certified organic winery.  No pesticides or herbicides are used nor any artificial fertilizers.  Vineyard rows are planted  with cover crops that are tilled into the soil, fixating the nitrogen. (Oats, vetch, winter peas and native mustard.) They also have solar panels that provide for 85% of their energy.  The vineyard is entirely dry farmed; they do not irrigate or water the vineyards, saving many thousands of gallons of water for others.  Companion plants are planted all over, encouraging beneficial insects.  They even negotiated with nearby wineries that use pesticides so that minimal spray will drift over.  There is sincere commitment to nature and the environment at this winery.  Current wine production is around 60,000 cases, making this a medium plus size winery for Napa Valley.

 Tasting Deck

While we were sitting comfortably waiting for our tour, they brought us some Sauvignon Blanc and offered us straw hats to wear in the vineyard during the tour.  In their bathrooms they even have sunscreen for you.  Every detail has obviously been thought out to provide visitors with the most enjoyable and informative experience possible.


Lounge

During the tour we heard many interesting stories and learned some fascinating things about vineyard management, organic farming and wine making.  Seth really knew what he was talking about.  In addition to providing a tour of  the vineyard, showing us  the beneficial insects and plants that supported them, taking us to the goldfish pond and Red Barn, etc., Seth would often pause and produce a bottle of wine for a tasting, making the tasting an integral part of the tour itself.  It made it more difficult to take detailed tasting notes, but was a very enjoyable way to do a tasting.


Goldfish pond

Frog's leap not only has a great tour, but offers some outstanding wines at reasonable prices.  The Frog's Leap 2011 Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc that I mentioned earlier is a mere $20 and is their most popular varietal with a production of 23,400 cases.  It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and is fermented in stainless steel.  As with all of their wines, it is dry farmed and organically grown.  It was light, sparkling straw in color with fascinating shades of green, making it very pleasant to look at.  I got mostly melon and gooseberry on the nose.  On the palate it was crisp, dry and well balanced with gooseberry, lemon, and white peach with some minerality.  Finish was medium length and very clean.  It is a very nice Sauvignon Blanc and I understand why it is so popular.  This was my favorite of the white wines.  You really should try some.

Grounds and companion plants

Our second pour was the Frog's Leap 2011 Napa Valley Chardonnay which sells for $26.  It is whole cluster pressed and sees full malolactic conversion.  I usually do not like Chardonnays that are allowed full malolactic , but this one has the acid and structure to balance it.  Malolatic conversion, also incorrectly referred to as malolatic fermentation or MLF, is a natural process that makes the wine smooth and buttery. (Seth correctly referred to is as malolactic conversion.) Many Chardonnays do not have the acid and structure to balance this and end up too flabby and tasting like buttered popcorn if they are allowed full malolactic conversion.  The same applies with oak, which is often done excessively, ruining the Chardonnay varietal characteristics.  The Frog's Leap Chardonnay obviously benefits from malolatic conversion and is not overly oaked, although the oak certainly is there.  To the eye it is a pale gold.  The aroma is slight and mostly lemon.  On the palate it is full bodied for a Chard. with good acid that is well integrated.  The butteriness is well balanced with the acid and fruit so is quite pleasant.  I got mostly green apple, lemon and buttered toast with a medium length finish.  Although it is very nice by itself, this Chardonnay is dry and crisp enough to pair very well with food.


Space saving rectangular tanks

Our third pour was the Frog's Leap 2011 Napa Valley Zinfandel that sells for $30.  It has 14.5% Petite Sirah and .5% Carignan blended with the Zinfandel and saw 12 months in American oak.  This one is not overwhelmed with alcohol or "fruit bomb" as are many Zins these days.  After a pleasant fresh red fruit nose I got red cherry, raspberry, pepper and spices.  (I'm always glad when a Zin has some pepper or spice because it makes the wine more interesting and complex.  This one has both.)  It is well balanced and medium bodied for a Zin, with a medium short finish.   It is very pleasant and easy to like.

Famous label that is now
in the Smithsonian


Our fourth tasting was the favorite for both of us, the Frog's Leap 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $42.  It is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot.  It saw 21 months in French oak. It had a nice nose of mostly cherry.  On the palate it is fairly big and lush but still rather dry, with good tannins and some herbaceousness and spice. I got mostly blackberry, and black currants with hints of toasted oak and cedar.  Finish was long in length with some toastiness. It is neither overly extracted nor is it a Cab you will have to cellar for years to enjoy.  Quite drinkable now, it obviously has the structure to cellar well.  It is only a 2010 but is rich, complex, smooth and very well balanced.  At $42 this Frog's Leap 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is under priced for the quality.  An excellent Cab!


View from upstairs of Red Barn


Our final tasting was the Frog's Leap 2011 Rutherford Petite Sirah at $37.  This is one of my favorite varietals and I recently attended the PS I Love You event where many of the finest Petite Sirahs were offered for tasting.  This one is 100% Petite Sirah and had an aroma of black cherry and blackberry.  It was more fruit forward, softer, smoother and more lush than many Petite Sirahs and without the pepper or pronounced tannins.  Ordinarily I do not like this style, but this one is very well balanced and will appeal to many people who do not ordinarily like Petite Sirahs.  I got blueberry, blackberry and black cherry on the palate with a pleasant medium length smooth finish.  My friend and several people on our tour really liked it.  Very well done if you like the style.

Main entrance to Vineyard House

In addition to a great sense of humor, very friendly hospitality, lovely setting and excellent wines, Frog's Leap Winery offers a wonderfully informative and animated hour and a half tour that is not to be missed.  Yes, frogs really were hopping all over!  Visitors were laughing and really enjoying themselves.  If you think Napa Valley wineries are formal, stuffy, serious places, then you haven't been to Frog's Leap Winery.  This is a winery whose name often comes up in conversations among us locals.  It seems that everybody who visits just loves the place and the word is out that if you have family or friends visiting, this is a great place to take them, not only for the wine but for the special setting and atmosphere.  Be sure to bring a camera.  I have my own motto for this winery:  "Frogs really do leap when you are having fun at Frog's Leap Winery."

View from patio

Frog's Leap Winery
8815 Conn Creek Rd
Rutherford, California 94573
Phone: 800-959-4704
Date of visit: June 12, 2013

Red Barn

Grounds and companion plants