Frog’s Leap, which released its first vintage in 1981, is no newcomer to Napa Valley. Still family owned, Frog’s Leap has been making this restrained and delightful Chardonnay since 1985 from grapes grown in the cooler Carneros region of Napa Valley. The “Shale” in the wine’s name refers to the soil while the “Stone” indicates that the wine ferments and ages primarily in concrete tanks, on its lees, having spent barely days in an oak barrel where fermentation started. The result is a refined mid-weight Chardonnay with complexity imparted by lees aging that amplifies its discreet fruitiness. Those looking for a powerful Chardonnay need to look elsewhere. This is a Chardonnay for those who embrace elegance.
93 Michael Apstein – Aug 27, 2025