I love to highlight producers that are making interesting and energetic Zinfandels, and Frog’s Leap’s 2020 Napa Zinfandel fits that bill. Right from the pour, the wine’s translucence intimates that this is not a high-alcohol, stewed-fruit (and let’s be honest, frequently flabby) Zin of yesteryear. This wine is bursting with energetic notes of fresh blueberries and blackberries. At 14.5% alcohol by volume, the wine has body, but it isn’t hot and it isn’t heavy. To the contrary, nice acidity keeps things fresh throughout, while a mixture of American oak and concrete aging provides balanced notes of wood and baking spice. To top it off, it is a relative bargain at $40 (we are still talking Napa fruit, after all).
Frog’s Leap Winery, Napa Valley (California) Zinfandel 2020
By John McDermott