[PLEASE NOTE: We also have a small supply of MAGNUM bottles of this 1990, priced at $300/bottle. These bottles are available only for standard shipping, not build-a-case. To purchase Magnums, please click here.]

Truly one of the most iconic producers of Merlot outside of Bordeaux, John Williams grew up on a dairy farm and eventually expanded his agricultural studies to include vines and wine. 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. He teamed up with Larry Turley to start Frog’s Leap in 1981 and the rest is history. In 1988, Frog’s Leap was among the very first estates to be certified organic in the Napa Valley appellation. John purchased Larry’s interest in Frog’s Leap in 1993 and continued to push the envelope for quality and sustainability: he installed solar power and practices dry farming, which not only conserves water and reduces soil erosion but promotes resilient, healthy vines as well. A true visionary, Williams crafts his wine in a traditional, elegant style that is on par with the quality of the greatest Bordeaux but delivers the unique voice of the Napa Valley. 

The 1990 vintage is known for powerful, concentrated wines from a vintage that started out wet and shaky, resulting in a short crop. There’s a still a bass note of ripe, youthful fruit at the core of this wine, which is as much a testament to its ideal storage conditions as the vintage itself. In the glass, it displays a still-vibrant dark garnet core moving to brick-orange at the rim, with complex aromas that leap from the glass in waves: black plum, red currant, dried black cherry, bay leaf, vintage leather, raw cacao, pipe tobacco, damp mushroom and a well-integrated dash of oak spice carry over to a velvety, medium-plus-bodied palate. 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) the day before 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 palate-enveloping richness and long, savory, aromatic finish. If you are sediment-phobic, 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 I wouldn’t hesitate to put it in a lineup alongside Bordeaux bottles from the same vintage. Score one for Napa Valley here—and pair it with something that shares its brilliant melding of sweet and savory. The attached duck recipe looks like a winner. Cheers!