Producer Notes for 2000 Forman Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Ric Forman is one of the living legends of California winemaking. With a history at Sterling, Newton, Duckhorn, Abreu, and of course Forman Vineyards. There are few other winemakers who can claim such influence in the very formation of the wine industry in Napa. This vintage is composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot. Forman Vineyard, in St. Helena, Napa Valley, was founded in 1983 by Ric Forman, who remains the owner and winemaker. Forman owns nearly 90 acres in the St. Helena and Rutherford appellations. Forman has spent his life in the Napa Valley. While a student at the University of California at Davis he worked for Stony Hill and later at Robert Mondavi. At age 24 he was hired as winemaker at Sterling Vineyards. Forman makes primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, though he has also made Merlot. His wines are made in traditional California styles, according to wine write James Laube, who compliments them for their “finesse and grace.”