by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Wine aficionados and fans of the social scene are in for a treat this weekend. Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m., the Grotto in San Marco will host a night with John Williams, wine maker and owner of Frog’s Leap Winery in Napa Valley.
“Frog’s Leap is a very well known and liked brand even among casual wine drinkers,” said Chad Munsey, owner of the Grotto. “This will be a great opportunity for those people to talk to John, who is someone who has made a pretty big dent in the wine industry in a fairly short amount of time.”
Williams, a New York native and former dairy farmer, founded Frog’s Leap in 1981. In just 20 years, they have seen annual production sky rocket from just 700 cases to well over 50,000. Today, Frog’s Leap produces wine in a restored red barn that was built in 1884.
“People always ask if we carry Frog’s Leap,” said Munsey, adding that whether it be a Merlot, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc — a sentimental favorite of the winery — people are likely to cite William’s product as among the best available today.
“It’s a big deal for John Williams to come here and we’re proud to have him,” said Bonnie King, a wine representative for National Distributing. “Jacksonville has always been a very strong supporter of Frog’s Leap. John’s a a great guy. He’s a star.”
Munsey said that unlike Thursday nights at the Grotto, which consistently draw a large crowd of people, the Frog’s Leap tasting is geared for a smaller number of people who are genuinely interested in familiarizing themselves with Williams and the winery.
“We’re trying to keep it fairly intimate, between 30 to 40 people,” he said. “People will be encouraged to ask questions and they can even have John sign a bottle for them. It should be a lot of fun.”
For further information, contact the Grotto at 398-0726 or [email protected].