Frog’s Leap’s 2023 Concrete Aged Sauvignon Blanc is a distinct, site-driven take on Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, made from estate-grown fruit on the Rutherford Bench. The winery, founded in 1981 and based on its Rutherford property since 1994, farms organically and dry-farms its vineyards. In this bottling, the winemaking is intentionally specific: Sauvignon Blanc is fermented and aged entirely in concrete—no stainless steel and no oak—using dedicated concrete eggs for individual vineyard blocks. The winery notes that “a modest amount of skin contact before pressing” is used to build phenolic structure, while extended lees contact in concrete is intended to add texture without overlaying vessel-derived flavor. The result is positioned around “texture, minerality, and site expression,” with bright natural acidity and negligible residual sugar.

Professional reviews have been notably strong, led by an excellent 97-point score from Vinous. Antonio Galloni calls it “a total knockout” and goes further, describing it as “a world-class white at an extremely fair price.” He highlights a more savory, nuanced register than many mainstream examples, pointing to “apricot, chamomile, dried flowers, mint and a kiss of tangerine peel.” Galloni also notes that “bottling without filtration results in a wine that is a bit cloudy,” adding that this “should be of no concern to consumers.”

James Suckling also rates it highly at 93 points, praising its precision and restraint. In Suckling’s review (tasted by Jim Gordon), “a flinty, earthy, mineral character dominates this crisp and well-balanced wine,” with “tangy citrus flavors” framed by “chalky, stony, racy elements.” The wine is described as “lively and slightly restrained,” finishing as a “mouthwatering expression of sauvignon blanc,” with advice to “drink or hold.”

Taken together, the critical consensus suggests a concrete-shaped style: bright, mineral, textural, and more complex than overtly fruity.