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Forth
Cabernet Sauvignon ‘All Boys’
United States, California, 100% Sonoma County
Red
Winery Overview
Nearly twenty years ago, while Gerry Forth was deeply immersed in healthcare start-ups and Jann Forth was busy with non-profit boards, they wandered into Sonoma County, and in particular the Dry Creek Valley, and were instantly enchanted by its stunning beauty and splendid wines.
So, when they found a broken-down piece of property that just happened to be perfect for growing Cabernet and Syrah grapes, they knew it was time to write a new chapter.
Gerry traded his board seat for a tractor seat and Jann traded her Ann Taylor suits for overalls, and they headed out into the vineyard hand-in-hand and have never looked back. Learning to work together in the vineyards and winery has been hilarious and challenging and wonderful. After 22 years, they would not trade it for the world!
With the help of some winemaker friends, they produced their first vintage in 1998, a glorious Cabernet, and, ever since, have been diligently working to create intriguing wines that allow the terroir, the fruit, and the vintage to express their own unique story.
As winemakers, the Forths do their best to select the optimal time to pick each varietal. For the last couple of weeks before harvest, they frequently visit each vineyard and taste the grapes, take juice samples, and assess the general condition of the grapes. After harvest they practice minimal intervention winemaking, desiring to allow the fruit to “tell its own story.”
All Forth reds are aged for at least 20 months in American and French oak barrels. Then they are filtered and bottled. The release date for each wine is determined by tasting them monthly until the wine is ready. All wines are ready to drink, but Forth red wines will age for a decade or more, and still deliver vibrant fruit and silky tannins.
For the 2019 harvest we were able to source Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from four outstanding vineyards in Sonoma County, representing the distinctive viticultural areas of: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, Sonoma Valley, and Knights Valley.
Terroir
Each of the vineyards has been managed in a sustainable fashion, with limited use of natural fertilizers and a commitment to fish and bee-friendly products to prevent mildew. The warmer climate grapes, Dry Creek and Sonoma, provide ripeness and emphasize the traditional black cherry and cassis nose and back palate. The higher altitude and later ripening grapes from Knights Valley add acidity, front palate, and more complex herbal qualities. Alexander Valley adds grace.
Viticulture
The vines range in age from 8 years to 20 years old. The younger vines provide great flavor and acidity; the older vines provide the depth and complexity.
True to its name, the All Boys comes from vineyard blocks assigned to our sons, grandsons and the five brothers who own the adjoining vineyard.
Vinification
94% cabernet, 3% Syrah, 3% Merlot
Manual harvest. As is our custom, we vary the yeasts and the fermentation style on different lots of the “The Boys”, to tease out the most interesting qualities of each. We settle and complete malolactic fermentation in tanks, then transfer the wine to barrels for 20 months. The All Boys is a blend of three vineyards, but they all age separately so that we can see what each is giving us. For the past couple of years we have reduced filtration of this wine to a minimum, preferring to let all the flavors come through in the finished wine.
Aging
Used French and American oak for eighteen months
Tasting Notes
On the nose we find the traditional dark fruits – dark cherry and cassis, with just a hint of kitchen herbs and cedar. These carry over onto the palette with good balance and moderate finish. To us the tannins are fine-grained and reserved, allowing this wine to be enjoyed even in its youth.