A visit to Frog's Leap TN: 2016 Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Rutherford

WINE TALK
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I now have had the Zin and Merlot as well and all top notch. I’ll continue to add to my stash of 16 and look forward to trying the 17.

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Cheers Fred, I’m glad you are digging the wines. I hope you enjoy the '17 Cab when you get a chance to try it, my dad and I are very happy with how the wine came together.

Rory

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Hi Rory- really hoping we get to see you guys later this year.

Stay safe and we’ll do our best to support.

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Was inspired to open a 2016 tonight. Great wine I think the nose is really “classic” as previously stated. Love the more old school California cabs (Dunn, Togni), but curious how this one ages? Does it go the same kind of distance as those wines?

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J- we tasted an 03 Merlot and 05 Cab during our tasting back in Sept and they age wonderfully. I bought an 03 Merlot and will be opening soon. It reminded me of some wonderful older BDX’s we’ve had at Berns in Tampa.

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Tasted a vertical 2 years ago at the Society of Wine Educators meeting going back to 1996? I believe. These age tremendously along the lines of a classic Bordeaux, only with California youthfulness. John Williams was always a bit of an iconoclast (have met him a few times) and he never wavered from his vision of what these wines should be. He is probably laughing right now (figuratively) and enjoying the fact that his style of wines is suddenly more fashionable. Hemlines go up and down, just like ripeness levels and tons of new oak. Kudos to a producer who stuck to a more classic style and never tried to price their wines in the stratosphere…

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Rory - when is the 17 getting released to the wine club ? Looks like you and your Dad are not the only ones happy with the 17 [cheers.gif]

Had the 16 last night with a small group. It continues to show so well and picks up some additional weight decanting an hour or so. I will most for the 8-10 year mark but really no reason not to enjoy now.

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Hey Fred,

The '17 went out to the club last fall (August or September), I believe, ahead of its broader release. I think it’s the '18 that is scheduled for release with this autumn’s shipment. Let me know if you think you should have received it but didn’t, I can give a heads up to Megan or Nick, who coordinate the fellowship. And thanks! Hopefully folks are enjoying the wine; it is very satisfying to drink it now, after such an uncertain vintage.

Rory

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Thanks Rory. I’ll reach out to them as I have a few questions. How would you compare the 17 to the 16 ?

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The '16 is very pretty and top-note right now, definitely equal parts black and red fruit. The palate is equally fruity, but it’s starting to close up, and I think the wine could benefit from some air or time to help unfold a bit. The '17 is darker aromatically, more direct and generous right now–same on the palate. I’m mostly very happy about how the texture came together on the '17; we excluded many of the later picks (about 15% total) from the final blend because they were tannic in an unbalanced way. All in all, it will be interesting to see how the two vintages play out over the long haul.

We actually just popped open a bottle of 1982 Cab (fruit from Spottswoode, Wildwood/Spring Mtn and Fay) in our weekly virtual tasting today, and it was alive and kicking, with the whole late-stage VA-lifting-the-fruit thing going on. Our first ever Cab, and only the second time I’ve tasted it. Hopefully the '16 and '17 make it that far!

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This is a great, classic, under-the-radar producer. When I saw the thread, I remembered I wrote a note a few years ago (2017), disinterred it, here it is [price was in a restaurant]:

“1997 Frog’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford ($130) - WOTN. This had gorgeous aromas of tender ripe black currant, hints of flowers (roses), a touch of black raspberry and something faintly cedary, almost like somebody blended in some Pauillac. I didn’t get any of the famed dust, but didn’t miss it. At almost 20 years, the tannins were fully resolved, the aromatics soared as the bottle was consumed, the last sip had something almost ethereal, like a distant Napa version of Haut Brion, with a long, lingering, subtle finish. Ready to drink, rated 95.8.”

Dan Kravitz

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Thanks Rory for the vintage comparisons. Great info and will be getting some of the 17 to try. Hope to see you in September depending on how things go.

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I picked some 17’s and I’m so glad I did. This was my first time trying Frogs Leap and it’s amazing juice. I love the higher acidity in this wine and how fresh it is. Will definitely add much more of this to my purchases every year. The only thing that kept this from bring a perfect wine, for me, is that it needed a little bit more tannins, but I’m nitpicking.

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I forgot to post here on a really nice, balanced bottle of the ‘16 a couple weeks ago. Lasted for a few days too in the open bottle without degradation, showing good structure for aging. $45.99 locally at Costco.

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Yep, really nice stuff. I prefer 16 over 17 but to be frank, it’s a bit early to make any prognostication. Both worthy purchases, and in the context of Napa, a killer value.

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Have bought exactly two bottles of Cabernet in the last couple years and they were both 16’ Frog’s Leap. Figure another four years or so and they’ll be showing real nice.

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Ok, this 2017 is smokin. I cannot imagine a better Napa Cab for under $100. Drinking another bottle right now, and ordered more from Wine.com with its 50 off 150 code, for $43 per. That is just a rock bottom stupid price on an excellent wine. So classic Rutherford with a cooler climate profile in this vintage. At 13.8 ABV!

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It really is delicious, and I agree it’s one of the two or three best Napa Cabernets I’ve had under $100. Had a bottle tonight with a sous vide steak finished with a sear in duck fat and it was fantastic. I can’t imagine blowing a wine.com coupon + cash back combo on this though when my local Costco sells it for $45!

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Haha, jokes on you. You actually had to walk into a Costco and pay $2 per bottle extra for the unique life experience!

I did that once. Never. Again.

I clicked and clicked, wine shows up in my office on Monday. EZ PZ.

[wow.gif]

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I know one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor and all that but tasting the wines from Frogs Leap, especially the Cab but also the other wines I wonder how some Napa
wineries get away with charging 4-5X the price.

I guess there are similar wine values in every region but for me the Frogs Leap Cab in Napa really stands out. A no-brainer for classic cab.

Tom