The New York Times’ Eric Asimov makes the case for a much-maligned grape in “Standing Up for Cabernet Sauvignon,” and Frog’s Leap earns a spot among his favorite mid-range picks in Napa.
Asimov argues that cabernet’s reputation has suffered less from the grape itself than from one particular style, heavy, oaky, alcoholic, and extravagantly fruity, that dominated from roughly 1985 to 2010. He makes clear he objects to that style too, but sees real beauty in Cabernet done well, preferring wines that are savory rather than sweet, often with floral aromas, closer to what he calls “great drinks” than fruit bombs.
On pricing, Asimov points to Frog’s Leap, alongside Matthiasson and Smith-Madrone, as one of his three favorite mid-range Napa Cabernets, each retailing around $75, a fair splurge relative to pricier favorites like Ridge Monte Bello or Mount Eden. He notes that while many top Bordeaux and Napa Cabernets are tannic when young and need a decade or more to soften, wines in this range are often approachable much sooner.
Read the article HERE (paywall).
