A totally dazzling wine, Ric Forman's 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is easily one of the wines of the vintage. Today, the 2013 is dense, powerful and explosive, with fabulous energy and tons of sheer intensity. Graphite, smoke, tobacco and layers of dark-fleshed fruit all open up in the glass. This is the first vintage to incorporate a dollop of Malbec. The 2013 has just been bottled. I will not be surprised at all if it merits a higher rating at some point in the future. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, Ric Forman's 2013 is a super-classic, old-school Napa Cabernet to treasure for the next three decades. Best of all, Forman's Cabernet is probably the single greatest value in Napa Valley Cabernet.

Fragrant black cherry and blackcurrant, wet rocks, pencil shavings, cigar smoke and floral top notes are the prelude to a savoury, beautifully structured wine framed around chalky, ripe tannins and fresh acidity. Ric Forman is not far from celebrating his 50th vintage in Napa Valley, and sums up 2013 as emphatically 'one of the good ones'! His wines represent some of the best value to be found in Napa Valley at this level.

A beautiful wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and the rest tiny proportions of Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Opaque ruby/purple with beautiful blueberry and black raspberry fruit moving toward cassis on the palate, it is plush, medium to full-bodied, well-delineated, juicy and succulent. This is another terrific 2013. This one was aged 22 months in barrel, but 60% was new oak, and it was never fined prior to bottling. It should drink well for 15 or more years.