Adam LaZarre Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Bold. Unabashed. Larger than life.

All three descriptors could easily apply to winemaker Adam LaZarre or the Cabernet Sauvignon he crafts from Paso Robles, California grapes.

For the last three decades, Adam has honed his winemaking skills at a series of West Coast wineries, gaining a following for his work with wildly popular brands like Rex Goliath, Hahn Estate and Broadside Wines.

Meanwhile, he launched his own label—Adam LaZarre Cellars—dedicated to small-production, high-quality wines that showcase the best of vintage, region and grape.

In all his endeavors, he’s earned a reputation for a somewhat rock-and-roll approach to wine production, unafraid to experiment, so long as he is able to express the full flavors of the vineyard with which he works.

But an underlying resolute character and unrivaled drive earned from his time in the US Navy are why Adam is held in such high esteem nationwide.

“I was 21 when I walked into the recruiter's office,” says Adam. “I met a lot of kids who joined for patriotism or a sense of duty. I joined because I needed a kick in the ass, you know.”

“I loved the service and I loved what we do and our mission and everyone in the service, anyone who dedicates themselves to that… but I knew I wasn’t going to stay in the service forever.”

He fell in love with wine while stationed in Bremerton, Washington, and after almost seven years in the military, enrolled in the enology program at California State University, Fresno.

“My dad instilled the belief that every American should give something back to the country that gave them the freedoms they enjoy,” he says.

"‘It’s not how you get there that matters, it’s how you finish’ were his last words of wisdom to me prior to passing.

He also made me promise I’d have no regrets.

I have many regrets, but I can say I’ve never done anything in my winemaking career with malice… I’ve tried to approach it all with integrity.”

We can say his full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon certainly hits all the marks.

Aged nine months in a mix of French and American oak, it offers robust flavors of plum, cassis and unsweetened baker’s chocolate, with just enough acidity to carry the weight of the fruit well into the finish.