1975 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Opened by Allred at his 50th birthday dinner. Made by the founding winemaker Ric Forman. 2 bottles were opened and the first was maderized. Decanted for sediment before drinking. This bottle showed very well. Smooth and elegant. Notes of dried mushrooms, wet earth and red berries. Integrated tannins. I liked this better than the 1975 Beau-Sejour Becot which was also opened. 91-92 points.
VM
Ahhh, i freaking love this wine! Bummer one of your bottles was maderized but glad the second on showed better. These Ric Forman wines from the 70’s are such a gift. Thanks for posting!
Here’s my note from a few years ago:
I was in the mood for some aged-cab goodness and snagged this from the cellar on the fly. Not gonna lie, I was a little worried about the wine when I cut the capsule and found the cork to be completely soaked through, but my concerns were erased the minute that I Durand’d (that’s a word, right?) The cork. Soaring aromatics of red fruits and a beautiful crimson color with literally no bricking. In the mouth this was seriously just happiness in a glass. Sweet cassis, cherries, a hint of cedar, and some tannins on the long finish. Lovely acidity and just perfectly integrated. Classic old school Napa drinking at its absolute peak right now with no end in sight (crazy it still has tannic structure!). Pretty sure this was a Ric Forman wine. A real treat and EXACTLY what I was hoping for and more. And 13% abv! Life is good!
Big fan of this 1975 myself !
I’ve had this wine a few years back, Sterling put out amazing wines during this period.
superb
selfishly clicking on every 1975 tasting note for the rest of the year…
Love Forman’s Sterling Cabs. I have had the 1970, 1973 and 1974 but not the 1975. [I think I also had a Sterling Merlot from the early 1970s the night my wife and I got engaged.] Great find.
