Frog's Leap Winery
Encyclopedia
Frog's Leap Winery is a California wine
producer that operates from Rutherford. It was founded in 1981 on a spot along Mills Creek known as Frog Farm. Frog's Leap Winery was established by John Williams
and Larry Turley.
grapes and dry-farmed
vineyards. Owner John Williams believes dry-farming results in stronger, healthier vines.
Frog's Leap's production methods express the terroir
of their wines, emphasizing subtlety and balance over power and weight.
Frog's Leap engages in other green
practices as well. They are one of the first wineries to use solar power
to run their entire operation. The winery also includes the use of compost and cover crops to organically enrich the soil. As well as dry farming to conserve water and reduce soil erosion.
In addition to their accolades for their wines, Frog's Leap is also noted for its humorous approach to winemaking
, down to their "Ribbit" corks. The winery got its name by combining "Frog Farm" (where its first wines were made) with "Stag's Leap
" (where John Williams had his first winemaking job).
. When they started, Turley was a doctor and Williams was a winemaker at Spring Mountain Vineyards
. They took the winery into organic farming, and made it the first Napa
winery with certified organically grown grapes. They built up the winery in Saint Helena, California together until 1994, when John Williams took Frog's Leap to the Red Barn Ranch in Rutherford, California and Larry Turley established what is now Turley Wine Cellars
. In 2004, Sunlight Electric
met with Frog's Leap discussing how the winery was spending around $50,000 annually on electricity. On February 9, 2005, the photovolatic system went live over Frog's Leap's leeching fields. With the system's annual output of 260000 kilowatt-hours (936,000,000,000 J), it produces about 85% of the site's energy usage.
), but after an incidence of noble rot
in 2006, they replaced it with "Frögbeerenauslese" (a pun on Trockenbeerenauslese
). The 2003 Napa Valley Sauvignon blanc is food friendly with its acidity balanced by fruit flavors and aromas. Gayot.com ranked the 2009 Sauvignon blanc as one of the top 10 organic wines. The 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from a long growing season and is a graceful wine that is not overwhelmed by one component.
California wine
California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest wine. While wine is made in all fifty U.S. states, up to 90% of American wine is produced in the state...
producer that operates from Rutherford. It was founded in 1981 on a spot along Mills Creek known as Frog Farm. Frog's Leap Winery was established by John Williams
John Williams (winemaker)
John Williams is an American winemaker and owner of Frog's Leap Winery in Rutherford, California. He is a champion of dry farming....
and Larry Turley.
Winemaking
Frog's Leap features organically grownOrganic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
grapes and dry-farmed
Dryland farming
Dryland farming is an agricultural technique for non-irrigated cultivation of drylands.-Locations:Dryland farming is used in the Great Plains, the Palouse plateau of Eastern Washington, and other arid regions of North America, the Middle East and in other grain growing regions such as the steppes...
vineyards. Owner John Williams believes dry-farming results in stronger, healthier vines.
Frog's Leap's production methods express the terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
of their wines, emphasizing subtlety and balance over power and weight.
Frog's Leap engages in other green
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
practices as well. They are one of the first wineries to use solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
to run their entire operation. The winery also includes the use of compost and cover crops to organically enrich the soil. As well as dry farming to conserve water and reduce soil erosion.
In addition to their accolades for their wines, Frog's Leap is also noted for its humorous approach to winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
, down to their "Ribbit" corks. The winery got its name by combining "Frog Farm" (where its first wines were made) with "Stag's Leap
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery established by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste...
" (where John Williams had his first winemaking job).
History
John Williams and Larry Turley formed Frog's Leap in 1981 at the site of the historic Adamson Winery, producing 700 cases of sauvignon blancSauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
. When they started, Turley was a doctor and Williams was a winemaker at Spring Mountain Vineyards
Spring Mountain Vineyards
Spring Mountain Vineyard is a vineyard consisting of 135 different vineyard blocks scattered over the estate in California's Napa Valley.The elegant Victorian mansion, known on the estate as Miravalle, was commissioned by Mexican-American businessman Tiburcio Parrott in 1884, and designed by...
. They took the winery into organic farming, and made it the first Napa
Napa Valley AVA
Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
winery with certified organically grown grapes. They built up the winery in Saint Helena, California together until 1994, when John Williams took Frog's Leap to the Red Barn Ranch in Rutherford, California and Larry Turley established what is now Turley Wine Cellars
Turley Wine Cellars
Turley Wine Cellars is a popular California wine producer with wineries in both Templeton and St. Helena...
. In 2004, Sunlight Electric
Sunlight Electric
Sunlight Electric is a designer and retailer of commercial photovoltaic systems. Headquartered in San Francisco, Sunlight Electric is a private company that specializes in commercial solar power systems and has considerable success serving growers, producers, and distributors of food and beverage...
met with Frog's Leap discussing how the winery was spending around $50,000 annually on electricity. On February 9, 2005, the photovolatic system went live over Frog's Leap's leeching fields. With the system's annual output of 260000 kilowatt-hours (936,000,000,000 J), it produces about 85% of the site's energy usage.
Wines
Frog's Leap used to make a wine known as "Leapfrögmilch" (a pun on LiebfraumilchLiebfraumilch
Liebfraumilch or Liebfraunmilch is a style of semi-sweet white German wine which may be produced, mostly for export, in the regions Rheinhessen, Palatinate, Rheingau and Nahe. The name is a German word literally meaning "Beloved lady's milk"...
), but after an incidence of noble rot
Noble rot
Noble rot is the benevolent form of a grey fungus, Botrytis cinerea, affecting wine grapes. Infestation by Botrytis requires moist conditions, and if the weather stays wet, the malevolent form, "grey rot", can destroy crops of grapes...
in 2006, they replaced it with "Frögbeerenauslese" (a pun on Trockenbeerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese is a German language wine term for an intensely sweet dessert wine-style wine....
). The 2003 Napa Valley Sauvignon blanc is food friendly with its acidity balanced by fruit flavors and aromas. Gayot.com ranked the 2009 Sauvignon blanc as one of the top 10 organic wines. The 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from a long growing season and is a graceful wine that is not overwhelmed by one component.