1977 Sterling Napa Estate Cab.

[BJ]

A lovely, powerful old school Napa Cab, from the glory years. A Ric Forman wine. Lots of dusty acids, giving a sense of oak, but it wasn't - it was just a lot of great material, and dare I say Rutherford dust. From back when it was worth drinking Cal Cab.

 

[Howard Cooper]

I thought Forman was gone by then? Anyway, I love these old Cal Cabs. I wish more were still made like these.

 

[BJ]

I think he was only there 74-76, so probably the 76 is the only full on Forman vintage at Stirling, but I figure the 77 got his vineyard oversight and vinification.

 

[Steve Edmunds]

I think you'll find that Forman was the original winemaker at Sterling, starting in late '60s.

 

[Jay Miller]

A '73 Sterling Cabernet last week was good but not great (a '73 Burgess Cabernet opened the previous week was singing with perfectly mature and balanced CA fruit). The Sterling was still a bit tannic, tasty but not especially interesting. I'd still drink it in preference to most current day CA Cabs though.

On the other hand a '78 Sterling from a month or two ago (which I also mistakenly identified as a Ric Forman wine) was as wonderful as the '77 you describe. Anyone know who the winemaker was for those vintages?

 

[Steve Edmunds]

I think Forman was there in '77, and began to work with Newton the following year, if memory serves...