Napa Valley Wine Tour 2011: Frog's Leap

Ever thought you'd to through Napa Valley and find a vineyard destination that made you feel better by drinking their wines? Not cause your all good and lushy, but because your social responsibility ranking just went up a notch? and by drinking/buying this wine you've helped contribute to something bigger than a great buzz? We'll this was my feeling at Frog's Leap Winery.

Not only is this place utterly a snap of East Hampton via Ina Garten - Money meets White parties meets Greenergy!  From the chicken coops to the solar panels, the beautiful grounds (that you are allowed to walk through - this is not a norm), to their open-air house/ tasting room. 

The wines weren't bad either. Actually they were remarkably good – and a proven hallmark of what great ingredients (grapes), treated with dry farming, and organic practices can bring to a glass.

As for the winery tourism part of this journey, please heed this advice and try this winery or others like it - where appointments are necessary (not because their pretentious, but because they are limiting their customer intake to ensure a unique and unpressurized experience) - their tasting fee is minimal for the pours/ glass size/ small bites accompaniments ($20), and during the week they offer a guided tour of their vineyard and practices.

Tasting Notes

2010 Sauvignon Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc 100% Rutherford 

This is their name making wine, their kingmaker if you will - and well deserved. Its light and crisp, a flavor that's only recognizable if you've 100% steel cast the blend (which this is).

2008 Petite Sirah: 100% Petite Sirah 100% Rutherford 

 I like that wines that are different, that make me remember them despite how "good" they are. This is one of those wine, not a wine for everyone, but a distinctive in taste - a good descriptor for this would be called "barn floor", musty, dirty, earthy - it's a beautiful wine, and very specific in taste, rich, full, and lots of that "barn yard" flavor.

2007 Rutherford: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc 

Ok this is the one that really did it for me, it had body and complexity from the cab sauv and backbone from the cab franc - it felt like a sophisticated rich older brother to the younger wines we had tried previous to it.  

To find out more about their solar panels, LEED certification, Geothermal or Dry Farming practices OR their wines check out www.frogsleap.com