2009 ZINFANDEL
Napa Valley
THE BLEND 77% Zinfandel 22% Petit Sirah 1% Carignan
RELEASE DATE September 2011
RETAIL PRICE
$27.00
$22.95 Club Price
Quantity discount available
STATS
Harvested ~ September 3 - September 24. 24.0° brix at harvest. 13.6% alcohol. 0.62 gr/L total acidity. 3.64 pH. Aged 12 months in American oak
A BRIEF HISTORY
Yes, we have noticed that the monster Zins of the
'70s are still in fashion. And yes, just like fashion they command
monster prices based on their “big” alcohol, “big”
flavors, and “big” bottles. But Frog’s Leap
Zin is different: you can’t use this stuff to light your
charcoal grill.
Maybe it's that we found our early inspiration for Zinfandel
from a different source — instead of reinventing Zinfandel,
we looked to the past and the incredible Zins of the ’40s
and ’50s. Those wines taught us the lessons that the old-timers
knew: that field blends of Petite Sirah, Carignane, and Napa
Gamay all picked at ripeness (not as raisins) added color, aromatics,
and earthy complexity. In other words, the help of other varietals
was needed to reveal the Zinfandel grape's true flavors. These
principles form the foundation for our wine today.
ABOUT THE WINE
A second straight year of lower than average yields has provided for a wonderfully nuanced, deeply fragrant Zinfandel. A wine that expresses its intensity through complex layers instead of simple, brute power. It is almost impossible to describe the zesty “fruit bowl” of aromatics: Raspberry? Blackberry? Mulberry? Perhaps razzmatazz berry describes it best. The addition of Petite sirah underscores the ripe fruit flavors and adds a spicy touch of cardamom and cinnamon. Plush without ever being heavy or harsh, the 2009 Zinfandel is a delicious wine that sets the mind thinking of a myriad of potential food pairings.
WINEMAKERS
John Williams and Paula Moschetti
VINEYARDIST
Frank Leeds |
