Forman winery
Forman Vineyard was started by long-time and well-respected Napa Valley vintner Ric Forman in 1983. Ric grew up in Oakland and later studied at UC Davis in the late 1960s, and was part of the era at Davis, that produced top local wines including Justin Meyer at Silver Oak Cellars and Nils Venge. Presently Forman produces merely 3000 cases, about 2000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1000 cases of the Chardonnay. The reason for this specific number is reached because it is the caseload amount that Ric can physically produce. He is Not the only winemaker in the family. His son, Toby, also has his own wine brand with his wife Dawn called Tobias Vineyards, but he is also responsible for managing his entire vineyard on the 40 acres that surround his winery. He is a very hands-on winemaker preferring to do even the most mundane wine-making tasks himself. By doing everything himself, and producing small quantities he ensures that each bottle of wine is truly handmade while helps maintain a very high standard of quality. Ric is also a partner in several other premium Napa vineyards including the Rutherford Star Vineyard (source of his Chardonnay) and also the premium Thorevilos Vineyard located not far from Ric s own property (now called Ecotone Vineyard). Incidentally, Ric co-founded David Abreu Vineyard Management with David Abreu in 1980 and made the Abreu wines on-site through the 2000 vintage.