Benchmark Wines by
Forman Vineyard
The Winery
Forman Vineyard
Based in St. Helena, California, Forman Vineyards is an estate known for its Cabernet Sauvignon made by Ric Forman. Having previously worked at Sterling and Newton Vineyards, Forman began his own label in 1983 and now owns three vineyards. Although his winemaking philosophy follows more of a traditional approach, Ric is an advocate for the terroir in which he gets his grapes from.
The eight-acre Clos Vineyard below the winery has the deepest soil with granite and sand deposits, while the 20-acre block above the winery has more dense and rocky volcanic soil. Even further up the mountain in the Rutherford AVA, the third block has more pink gravel with ancient ash, and all of the soil types contribute to the complexity of the principal wine in the portfolio, Forman Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The wonderfully situated vineyards combined with his deliberate intervention make his wines a personal testament to producing quality wines from the Napa Valley.
Tasting Notes
- WS92
- Elegant, smooth and smoky, with a leather and herb edge which, with aeration, gives way to a rich, concentrated core of currant, mineral, and berry flavors.
- WA91
- The 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dense, ruby/purple color, an unevolved but promising sweet, cedar, blackcurrant, vanillin-scented nose, medium to full-body, fine elegance, underlying acidity, ripe tannin, and a Graves-like, tobacco component that provides complexity. This wine should be accessible young, but will not hit its stride for 5-6 years; it will last for two decades. It will be a fascinating wine to follow over the next 15-20 years. Forman's Cabernet Sauvignons (usually a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc) often appear understated and restrained when tasted alongside more ostentatious Cabernets. However, that is Ric Forman's style, and while occasionally he might be accused of aiming for too much restraint, the 1994 and 1995 Cabernets possess exceptional richness, grace, delineation, and purity.
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