Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
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.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.