In the spirit of July 4th, we wanted to unearth a special wine that held more symbolism than simply “made in America,” so our team came together and did some thinking. In relation to wine, what best represented our nation and the diverse, steadfast dreamers residing in it? We realized surprisingly quick that there was only one legitimate answer: A decades-old, cellar-direct red from Frog’s Leap Winery, one of the world’s superlative producers of elegant, long-lived wine. So, we called up our close friends and tasted through several vintages before landing on their stunning 1992 Zinfandel.
The small team at Frog’s Leap are rigidly organic, dry-farming pioneers that have worked tirelessly to enter the top one percent of elite wine. For decades, these master craftsmen have sculpted truly soulful expressions of wine, but one in particular bleeds red, white, and blue: Zinfandel. As you’ll learn below, this grape, both in the field and on the dining table, dominated the American wine scene for well over a century, long before Cabernet Sauvignon’s flashy debut. Ultimately, this exclusive offer is 1) the most captivating, perfectly preserved Zin we’ve tasted and 2) the most fitting bottle for America’s 243rd birthday. A 27-year-old Zinfandel crafted by a legendary, all-American producer...does it get better than that? We can allow up to six bottles per person, so take advantage!
Zinfandel, “The All-American Grape,” reached the east coast in the early 1800s by way of a vine cutting from Europe. It then traversed the country during the frenzied Gold Rush dash of 1849 when those who didn’t strike it rich resorted to subsistence farming. From there, cultivation soared, and it quickly became the most planted grape variety in America for decades. This, ironically, was its downfall: Due to Zin’s ubiquity, it’s popularity fell, and then plummeted when growers subsequently “struck gold” with Cabernet Sauvignon in the latter part of the 1900s. Today, thankfully, there are still a few champions that cherish Zinfandel, but no one can craft such a brilliantly vivid and seemingly ageless Zinfandel quite like Frog’s Leap.
Over the years, I’ve blind-tasted countless wines from Frog’s Leap and thought many of their Merlots or Cabernet Sauvignons to be from big-name Left Bank châteaux. In that same vein, when their Zinfandel tacks on heaps of age, it too displays Bordeaux-like qualities that can consistently fool expert tasters. Having never moved from its cold, original resting place, today’s parcel of 1992 Zinfandel displays both the generosity of the vintage and the purity and elegance that comes from conscientious, dry-farmed organic vines.
From growing up on a dairy farm to becoming one of the most iconic wine producers in Napa Valley, John Williams’ timeline is one of those good ol’ American success stories. After leaving the family farm, he eventually expanded his agricultural studies to include viticulture. He fell in love with winemaking, completed his Master's at UC Davis, then worked his first winery job at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars for the vintage that won the famous Judgment of Paris tasting. On the heels of red-hot success, John teamed up with Larry Turley to start Frog’s Leap in 1981 and nearly four decades of history has followed.
In 1988, Frog’s Leap was among the very first estates to become Certified Organic in the Napa Valley appellation, really anywhere in America. Five years later, John purchased Larry’s interest in Frog’s Leap and continued pushing the envelope for quality and sustainability. He installed solar power and implemented dry farming (an enormous feat in Napa), which not only conserves water and reduces soil erosion but promotes resilient, healthy vines. A true visionary, Williams crafts his reds in a traditional, elegant style that is on par with the quality of elite Growth Bordeaux, all while delivering the unique voice of the Napa Valley.
High August temperatures in 1992 brought excessively ripe grapes for many Napa growers, but Frog’s Leap timed their harvest perfectly in order to achieve unrivaled balance in their wines. After hand harvesting their organic Zinfandel (from vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, and Calistoga) over a two week period, the grapes were crushed and fermented with natural, airborne yeasts. The resulting wine then aged 16 months in a combination of French and American oak before they were bottled unfined and unfiltered (per usual). Since their bottling date in the middle of ‘94, the small stash we’re proudly offering today has never moved!
In the glass, Frog Leaps 1992 Zinfandel displays a vibrant ruby-garnet core that moves out to an age-revealing brick orange rim. Still, it’d be hard to peg this as a 27-year-old Napa red, even harder to call it Zinfandel. As mentioned above, there is a mystical transformation that occurs in Zin when influenced by decades of evolution. Ripe red and black plum unfurl in gently rolling waves, followed by dried wild strawberries, rhubarb pie, red currant, dried herbs, vintage leather, pipe tobacco, damp mushroom, white pepper, sour cherries, and supple baking spices. All of these notes carry over into a wonderfully bright, high-toned palate that sings a savory, red-fruited song. After nearly three decades of maturation, its velvet-gloved complexities still shine with brilliant star power. The tannins have been sanded down to baby-skin smoothness and its lifted acidity speaks as clear as day. Now in its peak drinking window and only gaining aromatic complexity and texture as it evolves in the glass, I’d suggest standing the bottle upright (in a cool place) several days and pulling the cork a few minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems. Pour slowly and carefully (to avoid agitating sediment), and drink the same way, taking time to savor its intricacies. If you are sediment averse, decant it slowly over a light source right before service so as not to accelerate the aeration too much. There’s still lots of life left in this wine, and if cellaring conditions remain ideal, this ‘92 Zin will keep evolving for another decade and beyond! That’s classic Frog’s Leap for you! Happy July 4th, everyone!
