St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Forman with a Private Chauffeur
A small estate on a ridge at the base of Howell Mountain, run by winemaker Ric Forman, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Ric Forman studied food science at UC Davis and was the founding winemaker and viticulturist at Sterling Vineyards from 1969 to 1978. After a three-year search of the valley, he bought this ridge-top site above St. Helena in the late 1970s and founded Forman Vineyard in 1983 as a sole proprietor, with a plan to make small amounts of classically made Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The first Forman Cabernet Sauvignon came in 1983 and the first Chardonnay in 1985. Ric favors a traditional, European approach over a technological one, and he built the winery to match. The 11 acres of vines are split into three parcels, each planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The largest sits on an old riverbed of gravel and sand.
The slope above the winery is so rocky that it took dynamite to prepare it for planting. The cave was dug in 1988, and the winery counts it as the third wine cave excavated in Napa Valley. Visits are private: a seated tasting and a tour of the cave, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Tasting Fees
The private seated tasting and cave tour runs about 60 to 90 minutes. Forman does not publish its tasting fee online; it is confirmed when the visit is arranged.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1501 Big Rock Road, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment only. Visits are arranged by email with the estate.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in a traditional style
Founded
1983
Good to Know
Every visit is a private experience with a seated tasting and a tour of the wine cave. Plan on 60 to 90 minutes. Visits are scheduled between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Meadowood Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Meadowood Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Meadowood Napa Valley, a resort estate off the Silverado Trail, is about 5 minutes from Forman, and Harvest Inn, on Main Street at the south end of St. Helena, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Forman Vineyard
A private seated tasting with Ric Forman's estate wines and a tour of the 1988 wine cave, about 60 to 90 minutes. Forman opens at 10 a.m., so the first visit of the day fits this schedule well.
11:45 · Benessere Vineyards
About 12 minutes away. A St. Helena estate on Big Tree Road that grows Italian varieties and pours them at a seated tasting, with a choice of a mixed flight or an all-red flight. Seated tastings are $40 to $55. By reservation; leashed dogs are welcome.
1:00 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Farmstead on Main Street in St. Helena, open daily from late morning. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Rombauer Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A family winery founded in 1980 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer, set on a knoll off the Silverado Trail with gardens of more than 100 kinds of plants. The tasting is $25 and runs about 60 minutes. By reservation, up to 6 guests; leashed dogs are welcome outdoors.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Romeo Vineyards & Cellars
Adds about an hour. A small family winery in downtown Calistoga, about 12 minutes up the Silverado Trail from Rombauer, pouring on a garden patio. Walk-ins are welcome for parties under six as space allows ($30, waived with a two-bottle purchase); last tasting at 5 p.m.
About $65 to $80 per person in tasting fees at Benessere and Rombauer, plus the Forman fee, which is confirmed when the visit is arranged. Fees are paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Forman?
Yes. Forman is open by appointment only, daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and visits are arranged by email with the estate. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Forman?
Forman does not publish its tasting fee online. Each visit is a private seated tasting with a cave tour of about 60 to 90 minutes, and the fee is confirmed when the visit is arranged, as of September 2026.
Who owns Forman Vineyard?
Ric Forman, who founded it in 1983 as a sole proprietor. He was the founding winemaker and viticulturist at Sterling Vineyards from 1969 to 1978.
What is Forman known for?
Small quantities of classically made Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The estate vines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Does a visit to Forman include the wine cave?
Yes. Each private visit includes a tour of the cave, dug in 1988, which the winery counts as the third wine cave excavated in Napa Valley.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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