Quite good, though not exceptional. As others have noted, it's less flashy and ripe than many others from this part of Napa. It offers more savory, earthy, and reserved flavors, a bit old-school in style. No lack of concentration here. Shows nicely integrated flavors that are tasting beautiful at present.
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I'm a Forman lover so take my comments with that grain of salt. The 2014 Cab is drinking beautifully. Like all Forman Cabs is is decidedly NOT a fruit and alcohol bomb. Rick Forman makes his wines in more of a traditional French style and they are wonderful alone but are great with food where their balance and refinement blends with the other flavors of the meal.
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We have always loved Forman cabs. They are not the typical CA fruit bombs, but much more Bordeaux like. This wine is at its peak and should hold for another 5-10 years. Nice layers of complex red fruits with well integrated oak and acid. Great with food.
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Deep garnet color with slow legs. New oak, cassis and blackberry jam on the nose. Plum, stoniness and vanilla bean on the palate. Long velvety finish. Drinking quite well now with a little decant.
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Very blue and black fruit forward, wet slate, some pencil lead and earthy on finish. Enjoyable upon opening but could decant some for more expressive tannins which presented themselves 30-40+ mins in.
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Small US new arrivals tasting hosted by a merchant. Part of a Forman mini-vertical (2012-16). Fruit-forward bouquet, but slightly darker than the 2012 (like the 2013), but more mineral with a bit of barnyard and leather. Feels lighter on the palate, more akin to the 2012, but not as finely layered and less sweet. Solid tannic backbone, well balanced by acidity, but lacks the air of weightlessness.
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This is the first of a recent case delivered from the winery. A bit off -- green and sour. I am hoping this is just an off bottle or it was still recovering from the transit. Fingers crossed...
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Leather and sweat. Tobacco, blue fruits. Agree with comments that it seems a cross between Napa and Bordeaux. Could definitely lay down for the long haul, but good now with some air. Big tannins.
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I am torn about this wine. I agree with the bordeaux like comments. I enjoy bordeaux and I am not saying this is bad but I would say that at ~$100 this is too expensive for either napa cab or bordeaux. I don't think it has the body or profile of bordeaux at that price.
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Tasting: Hm, the score on Cellartracker seems a bit conservative. Really liked this, somewhere inbetween Napa and France when it comes to style. At ca 100 usd this a good substitute for a Bordeaux.
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Very fresh and vibrant. Possibly a bit too young. Goes way beyond normal Napa cab for me. Has all Bordeaux components, but doesn’t try to be one. Special and a total pleasure. Have 5 more, but I wish I bought a case.
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Strawberry and pen ink on the nose. On the palate, currant and blackberry with notes of savory spice and something floral on the medium finish, with moderate tannins and moderate acidity. This is a restrained style, very different from the usual California Cabernet. It's excellent, and it was a good value at about $80. The Cellartracker drinking window looks ambitious at the far end given the relatively low tannins and acidity, although it correctly shows that it's a little early to be opening these.
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There's something very old school Napa I feel whenever I drink Forman. This is not a valley floor fruit bomb. Instead, it is quite lean, especially for a 2014 which I find to be a pretty concentrated vintage. The vintage's darker berry character is there in this wine. Green olives, cedar, herbs, and peppercorn round out the flavors. Good, but this doesn't come close to the heights the 2015 Forman reached a few months ago for me. Drink with a 1 hour decant.
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Was a little worried might be a bit over the top for us but was really pretty well balanced. A lot of great fruit, enough acidity to keep it balanced. In a good spot now and guessing will go for a good number of years too.
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Opened and drank over 2 days. Blackberry is the predominant fruit on the palate. a little bit hot on the finish but this should integrate over the next 5 years or so. Potential to be excellent in 5-10 year time frame . Next bottle 2022.
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The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a absolute knockout from Ric Forman in this vintage. The blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Vertdot and 7% Merlot opens to gorgeous aromas of ripe dark fruits woven together spring florals, spices and hints of anise all coming together. On the palate this is beautifully structured with remarkable overall balance and precision. This continues to impress all they way though the finish with its wonderful elegance and purity. A simply brilliant wine which will certainly evolve gracefully for many years. (Best 2022-2035)
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Deep ruby with reflections of purple. A quick note: medium weight style, this offers complex, chewy flavors of ripe black fruit and cassis married to dried herb and baked earth notes. Medium+ ripe tannins and medium+ acid drive the palate. Tasty, complex and needs time.
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Always liked this producer as a maker of classic balanced cabs which are not monster fruit bombs. So somewhat surprised based on prior experience and the CT scores with this vintage. Found the wine a little thin, Acidic and lacking the the balanced fruit. At 4 years super young I will admit. I have a few more left so let’s see what time does
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Soft and ripe style. Drinking well. Black and red fruit and black licorice. Tannins and acid in balance, with plenty of both to keep this going for 10+ more years.
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Improved so much with time and air, this clearly will get better in the bottle. Starts almost translucent ruby, but it was deeper and darker by day two. It is earthy, and more old world in style, full of acidity and soft tannins. Cassis, lavender and mint on the palate. Quite good and will get better.
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Deep purple, with a nose of creme de cassis, lavender, toffee, dried bay leaves. Has a lush, soft mouthfeel, coats the palate, sweet yet with serious tannic and acidic bite. Easy wine to enjoy now, probably best after 3-5 years in the cellar.
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4/11/2024 - Eric_Lavoie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quite good, though not exceptional. As others have noted, it's less flashy and ripe than many others from this part of Napa. It offers more savory, earthy, and reserved flavors, a bit old-school in style. No lack of concentration here. Shows nicely integrated flavors that are tasting beautiful at present.
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4/4/2024 - RayHood Likes this wine: 97 Points
I'm a Forman lover so take my comments with that grain of salt. The 2014 Cab is drinking beautifully. Like all Forman Cabs is is decidedly NOT a fruit and alcohol bomb. Rick Forman makes his wines in more of a traditional French style and they are wonderful alone but are great with food where their balance and refinement blends with the other flavors of the meal.
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2/19/2024 - bobt@teacherstax.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
We have always loved Forman cabs. They are not the typical CA fruit bombs, but much more Bordeaux like. This wine is at its peak and should hold for another 5-10 years. Nice layers of complex red fruits with well integrated oak and acid. Great with food.
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2/10/2024 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep garnet color with slow legs. New oak, cassis and blackberry jam on the nose. Plum, stoniness and vanilla bean on the palate. Long velvety finish. Drinking quite well now with a little decant.
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1/6/2024 - Rick 4 Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine. We decanted and found it linear. With about an hour it was really showing. Great depth and balance.
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9/15/2023 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very blue and black fruit forward, wet slate, some pencil lead and earthy on finish. Enjoyable upon opening but could decant some for more expressive tannins which presented themselves 30-40+ mins in.
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10/27/2022 - sirpat00 wrote: 92 Points
Small US new arrivals tasting hosted by a merchant. Part of a Forman mini-vertical (2012-16). Fruit-forward bouquet, but slightly darker than the 2012 (like the 2013), but more mineral with a bit of barnyard and leather. Feels lighter on the palate, more akin to the 2012, but not as finely layered and less sweet. Solid tannic backbone, well balanced by acidity, but lacks the air of weightlessness.
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3/6/2022 - pepmi wrote: 93 Points
Beautifully put together -- a wonderful wine to drink. Balanced. Soft. Subdued fruit, cedar and pencil.
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2/20/2022 - pepmi wrote: flawed
This is the first of a recent case delivered from the winery. A bit off -- green and sour. I am hoping this is just an off bottle or it was still recovering from the transit. Fingers crossed...
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2/1/2022 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
Easily a 92+. Wonderfully put together. Balance is the watchword.
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1/3/2022 - cavedivr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leather and sweat. Tobacco, blue fruits. Agree with comments that it seems a cross between Napa and Bordeaux. Could definitely lay down for the long haul, but good now with some air. Big tannins.
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11/29/2021 - ChansenCellar wrote: 95 Points
Incredible- well balanced
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6/21/2021 - GeorgeGj wrote: 90 Points
I am torn about this wine. I agree with the bordeaux like comments. I enjoy bordeaux and I am not saying this is bad but I would say that at ~$100 this is too expensive for either napa cab or bordeaux. I don't think it has the body or profile of bordeaux at that price.
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5/21/2021 - Sundbyberg wrote: 93 Points
Tasting: Hm, the score on Cellartracker seems a bit conservative. Really liked this, somewhere inbetween Napa and France when it comes to style. At ca 100 usd this a good substitute for a Bordeaux.
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5/13/2021 - bobbylion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very fresh and vibrant. Possibly a bit too young. Goes way beyond normal Napa cab for me. Has all Bordeaux components, but doesn’t try to be one. Special and a total pleasure. Have 5 more, but I wish I bought a case.
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8/27/2020 - C0c0nutJ0es wrote:
Not full body.
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8/5/2020 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Strawberry and pen ink on the nose. On the palate, currant and blackberry with notes of savory spice and something floral on the medium finish, with moderate tannins and moderate acidity. This is a restrained style, very different from the usual California Cabernet. It's excellent, and it was a good value at about $80. The Cellartracker drinking window looks ambitious at the far end given the relatively low tannins and acidity, although it correctly shows that it's a little early to be opening these.
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3/29/2020 - mischwine wrote: 93 Points
I was a bit early on drinking this but nonetheless....impressed! Excellent!!
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3/21/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine: 92 Points
There's something very old school Napa I feel whenever I drink Forman. This is not a valley floor fruit bomb. Instead, it is quite lean, especially for a 2014 which I find to be a pretty concentrated vintage. The vintage's darker berry character is there in this wine. Green olives, cedar, herbs, and peppercorn round out the flavors. Good, but this doesn't come close to the heights the 2015 Forman reached a few months ago for me. Drink with a 1 hour decant.
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12/31/2019 - domco wrote:
Was a little worried might be a bit over the top for us but was really pretty well balanced. A lot of great fruit, enough acidity to keep it balanced. In a good spot now and guessing will go for a good number of years too.
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9/21/2019 - David J Cooper wrote: 90 Points
Medium red. Cassis, cedar box and mint in a very restrained nose. Dry red fruit and cool menthol flavours and a dry low acid finish.
Very controlled, a bit soft on the finish. If I had blind would likely guess Bordeaux. Not as ripe as a 2015 Talbot I tried a few days earlier.
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1/5/2019 - Oskiwawa wrote: 92 Points
Opened and drank over 2 days. Blackberry is the predominant fruit on the palate. a little bit hot on the finish but this should integrate over the next 5 years or so. Potential to be excellent in 5-10 year time frame . Next bottle 2022.
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10/23/2018 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 95 Points
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a absolute knockout from Ric Forman in this vintage. The blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Vertdot and 7% Merlot opens to gorgeous aromas of ripe dark fruits woven together spring florals, spices and hints of anise all coming together. On the palate this is beautifully structured with remarkable overall balance and precision. This continues to impress all they way though the finish with its wonderful elegance and purity. A simply brilliant wine which will certainly evolve gracefully for many years. (Best 2022-2035)
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10/23/2018 - wino_tim wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby with reflections of purple. A quick note: medium weight style, this offers complex, chewy flavors of ripe black fruit and cassis married to dried herb and baked earth notes. Medium+ ripe tannins and medium+ acid drive the palate. Tasty, complex and needs time.
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9/18/2018 - BBencz Likes this wine: 89 Points
PNP. Same soft and ripe style up front. Lots of sweet cassis. Closed down after about an hour and became quite tannic and dry.
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4/27/2018 - michael47 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always liked this producer as a maker of classic balanced cabs which are not monster fruit bombs. So somewhat surprised based on prior experience and the CT scores with this vintage. Found the wine a little thin, Acidic and lacking the the balanced fruit. At 4 years super young I will admit. I have a few more left so let’s see what time does
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1/31/2018 - BBencz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soft and ripe style. Drinking well. Black and red fruit and black licorice. Tannins and acid in balance, with plenty of both to keep this going for 10+ more years.
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12/3/2017 - fats1976 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Improved so much with time and air, this clearly will get better in the bottle. Starts almost translucent ruby, but it was deeper and darker by day two. It is earthy, and more old world in style, full of acidity and soft tannins. Cassis, lavender and mint on the palate. Quite good and will get better.
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4/10/2017 - KPB wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple, with a nose of creme de cassis, lavender, toffee, dried bay leaves. Has a lush, soft mouthfeel, coats the palate, sweet yet with serious tannic and acidic bite. Easy wine to enjoy now, probably best after 3-5 years in the cellar.
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