Frog's Leap Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009
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Winemaker Notes
The 1981 Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc is what we feel a Sauvignon Blanc should be. It is a dry wine of substantial scale that carries itself well, as it retains a delicacy to compliment food, not overwhelm." These are the words that we chose to introduce our Sauvignon Blanc, and in fact, our winery to the world. Dubbed a "Prince of a Wine" by the New York Times in 1982, this wine set a course that hasn't veered much from its original ideals. Today this wine is still made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes and done so in such a way that the alcohol is kept low, the acidity high, and the flavors crisp and refreshing. In fact, the only changes we've made along the way have been in pursuit of a noble quest: to make a Sauvignon Blanc that is so indicative of the place in which it is grown that it could come from nowhere else.
Each of the Sauvignon Blancs Frog's Leap has made during the past few years embodies the fine-tuning we've done along this journey. A little Semillon was added to the blend in 1992 but was taken out a few years later. The wine became 100 percent stainless-steel fermented and aged in the late '90s. It began to carry the Rutherford appellation in 2001. And in 2002 it began to be made exclusively from dry-farmed, organically grown vineyards. From all of this we have learned a simple lesson: the less we interfere in the cellar with the perfectly grown clusters, the more beautiful the wine becomes.
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Frog's Leap is a family-owned winery dedicated to sustainable principles and committed to producing wines with balance, restraint and respect for terroir. Frog's Leap makes its home amongst 200 acres of vineyards in Rutherford at the historic ‘Red Barn’. Founded by John Williams in 1981, Frog’s Leap continues to be family-owned and operated. As the owner and winemaker, John has made every vintage for over four decades. Frog’s Leap has earned an enviable reputation for our sincere dedication to sustainable principles and our commitment to handcrafting wines. This noted ‘ghost winery’ was built in 1884 as the Adamson Winery and renovated in 1994 as Frog's Leap's permanent home. A handsome bi-level barrel chai completes the state-of-the-art winemaking facility and guests are received in the warm and welcoming LEED-certified hospitality center.
Now in its fourth decade of production, Winemakers John and Rory Williams hand-craft Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot, and an Estate-Grown Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Using the best of Napa Valley's organically grown, dry- farmed grapes and the most traditional winemaking techniques, Frog's Leap strives to produce wines that deeply reflect the soils and climate from which they emanate. Thoughtfully shepherding both natural and earned resources, Frog’s Leap consistently returns more than it takes from the environment.
First certified by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in 1988 Frog's Leap has been a leader in the industry for decades. Fundamentally, organic farming means that if you take from the soil, you must return to the soil in equal measure. In the case of regenerative farming – a practice firmly embraced by Frog's Leap – you must return to the soil in greater measure than you take. Using a traditional approach to winemaking Frog’s Leap’s intention is to craft wines that are deeply reflective of the influences from which they emanate. Frog’s Leap makes wine of balance and restraint, with respect for the natural expression of the vine. The winery relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm. Organic farming excludes the use of manufactured fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators and genetically modified organisms. Organic farming involves mechanical weed control (via cultivating or hoeing) rather than herbicidal weed control.
Frog's Leap presents a relaxed approach to enjoying wine. An easy hospitality and warm sense of humor is juxtaposed with a more serious sensibility when making wine. The wines produced range from Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery has quite the line up to offer and hope you’ll try one of these delicious wines that harmoniously combine quality, sustainability and value.