Cellar Favorite: 2006 Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | OCTOBER 19, 2026

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford, the top bottling at Frog's Leap during this era, is a total stunner. At 20 years of age, it is also very young, almost shockingly so. Dark and somber in bearing, the 2006 hits the palate with copious dark fruit, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice and mocha, showing notable poise and tons of pure stature to match. Firm, chocolatey Rutherford tannins and a kiss of French oak add to its considerable personality. There's so much density and power here. It’s a Cabernet that very much makes a statement. Virtually all the fruit (97%) came from the Chavez-Leeds Vineyard (still a core site for Frog’s Leap) as the estate ranch has just been redeveloped and Rossi, another core site, was planted with far less Cabernet Sauvignon than it is today. The 2006 saw 14-17 days on skins and then 24 months in barrel, mostly new and once filled. What a precious wine. I loved it. 97/2026-2041