Forman Vineyard is a small estate property and has been owned and operated by winemaker Ric Forman since 1983. Hillside vineyards surround the European style winery which is perched on a ridge at the base of Howell Mountain and is overlooking the town of St. Helena. The winery is ideally situated to allow aging in deep, underground caves.Four Bordeaux varieties, all grown on the rocky slopes below and above the winery, are produced to achieve an elegant wine which has remarkable consistency and finesse and always shows identity to the prized growing site. A small quantity of Chardonnay, which is always barrel fermented without malolactic, comes from the Rutherford Star Vineyard in Rutherford. Unusual compared to other California Chardonnays, this bright white has often been labeled the Chablis of California. What others are saying... Ric Forman is arguably Napa Valley’s first superstar winemaker. Although sometimes overlooked today, there is little question Forman has had a profound influence on a number of younger winemakers who still speak of him with great reverence. In 2012 Forman celebrated his 46th harvest. Today, Forman counts on the assistance of his son Toby, in running this small, family-owned jewel of an estate. As for the wines, they are superb, but, best of all, remain realistically priced for the consumer who wants to drink top-flight Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon without having to take out a second mortgage. The Chardonnay is made in the non-malo style Forman pioneered in the 1970s. Forman’s Cabernet is one of the classic masterpieces of Napa Valley, even if recent vintages come across as a bit riper than the norm. Still, it is impossible to go wrong with any of these wines. - Antonio Galloni, Dec 2012
