Frog's Leap, Merlot, Napa Valley

Frog's Leap · California › Napa Valley › United States of America

Red · Merlot
Sign in to rate Create your cellar
LWIN 1122095
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
88 /100
Reviews
18
professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

NV

Community Reviews

20
20
Reviews
88.2
Avg Score
94
Highest
Taster #6171 · Feb 25, 2026
94/100
Another day, another bottle. The 2023 leans into that ethos. Aromatically it opens with red plum, black cherry, and crushed raspberry, then deepens into cocoa powder, dried rose petal, and a faint bay leaf and tobacco thread that nods to the Rutherford dust beneath it. A touch of cedar and sandalwood frames the fruit without sweetening it. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and finely tuned—more graphite and loam than gloss. The tannins are powdery and integrated, carrying flavors of blackberry …
2023 vintage
Taster #7536 · Nov 15, 2016
88/100
Opened on a week night after work when I needed to unwind from a busy day. Is a nice easy drink - dark ruby color, plum on the nose , and nice dark cherries on the palate. Ready to drink now . Delicious
2006 vintage
Taster #5473 · Sep 2, 2014
89/100
Perfectly aged. Do not keep anymore.
2006 vintage
Taster #2769 · Jun 14, 2014
88/100
Needs time in the decanter to open up, but lovely nose of plum, cherry, blackberry, eucalyptus, chocolate, and coffee when it does. Similar fruits on the palate, with some spice, herbs, and mocha rounding things off. Good acidity, elegant in style, although not quite enough tannins for me. There are moments of emerging complexity and the finish is a reasonably length, but is unlikely to age without becoming flabby. Classic Merlot conundrum, particularly in California.
2006 vintage
Taster #7234 · Sep 16, 2013
89/100
Still youthful -- not profound, but a pleasant surprise.
2006 vintage
Taster #5198 · Apr 15, 2013
84/100
Acidic, thin and overly oaked.
2006 vintage
Taster #7955 · Apr 23, 2012
91/100
I'm more impressed than recent tasters of this wine, as I found it deep-coloured, varietally-correct but with interesting tomato leafiness, and the merest hint of oak. Quite grown up really, if not exactly screaming out terroir. More than a nod to Bordeaux in profile and with ten years still in hand. Good value.
2006 vintage
Taster #2703 · Dec 9, 2011
Pulled three bottles of the 2006 Merlot on December 9, 2011. Two of the three were badly corked. The third was going, but not gone. I will not enter a rating on these wines. I know Frogs Leap is beter than this. We got our 2006's even exchanged for the current 2008 vintage at the NH State store
2006 vintage
Taster #5755 · Nov 24, 2011
90/100
Very good flavor easy on the palette.
2006 vintage
Taster #7225 · Jun 12, 2011
86/100
I seem to find myself disappointed more and more by Frog's Leap. We keep trying them as this was one of the few wineries we wanted to visit 10 years ago or so on our initial visit to Napa- Where it was once unusual for a Frog's leap to disappoint I am finding many of them on the thinner side lately- not as full- some red fruit, plumb touch of bakers spice- decent enough but nothing exciting here. Not going …
2006 vintage
Taster #1469 · Mar 13, 2011
90/100
Merlot : Nice fruit and chocolate. Well balanced. The aromas show a bit of leather or tobacco, can't decide which.
2006 vintage
Taster #8147 · Dec 30, 2010
85/100
Muted red fruit on the nose that faded away too soon. Light mouth feel with soft tannins. Expected a fuller expression as previous vintages,
2006 vintage
Taster #2604 · Oct 23, 2010
89/100
Houston Cellar Classic 2010 (The Tasting Room - Uptown Park) : Good, simple Merlot with earthy plum flavors. Not terribly exciting, but a pleasure to drink.
2006 vintage
Taster #5892 · Oct 16, 2010
89/100
Clear garnet colour, very slightly lightening at rim. Nose of plum with some slight herbs a cassis notes. Smooth medium body with plum, casis, slight bit of chocolate and still good tannins suggesting this could age for awhile yet. Finishes off with a slight bit of pepper and tannins. decent acidity. I'm generally not a merlot fan, at least new world merlot. I find it fighting to hit me over the hear with giant oak/tannins and fruit. The Frogs Leap …
2006 vintage
Taster #8497 · Sep 4, 2010
88/100
Decent example of simple california merlot, but nothing exceptional or exciting about this wine. Medium ruby color. Medium intensity nose with red stone fruits, floral roses(?), mint. Medium-full body with medium acid and tannin and a medium finish. Red plum pronounced on the tongue with mint and dried leaves. Needs 60+ min in decanter to show better.
2006 vintage
Taster #4344 · Mar 12, 2010
86/100
A little disappointed in this one. Thin and astringent, with cherry and tobacco peeking through the acids. Frog's Leap has done better.
2006 vintage
Taster #9123 · Feb 17, 2010
87/100
Didn't find this as big as some others have suggested. good but not great
2006 vintage
Taster #9368 · Feb 3, 2010
88/100
Improved greatly over the course of 3-4 hours. Cherries, hints of leather, blackberries and dark chocolate. Originally an 86, but after decant I award it an 88.
2006 vintage
Taster #6913 · Nov 1, 2009
87/100
Decant a looooooong time. Many much better in this price range.
2006 vintage
Taster #9530 · Sep 18, 2009
I did have some of this and it was nice, but I didn't get a really good taste from a nice glass.
2006 vintage