Into neck

95 points John Gilman

The 2003 vintage for Ric Forman is one of the cooler in his fine lineup of cabernet sauvignon from the first decade of this century, as the wine comes in at 14.4 percent alcohol. The bouquet is deep, pure and very precise, wafting from the glass in a superb blend of dark berries, black currant, Cuban cigar wrapper, gravelly soil, a nice touch of eucalyptus, lead pencil and a gentle topnote of currant leaf. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, very complex and flawlessly balanced, with lovely mid-palate depth, excellent focus and grip and a long, complex, softly tannic and very refined finish. The slightly lower octane here translates to laser-like focus and lovely vibrancy on the backend. This is my favorite vintage of Ric Forman’s cabernet in the last fifteen years! Great juice. (Drink between 2018-2050) (6/2018)