Pinot Noir may be the perfect grape for California winemaker Adam LaZarre.

While it can yield some of the world’s best wines, the variety is tricky to grow, tough to manage and famously low yielding. And it’s challenging for any producer to translate its delicate yet dynamic flavors into a finished bottling.

In other words, to make good Pinot, you need creative drive and a healthy amount of tenacity.

“It’s about seeing what you’re capable of doing...And I like to create, I like to start something from scratch… I like that thrill. That may have been something I picked up in the military,” says Adam, who served nearly seven years in the US Navy before he ever imagined he’d ferment anything.

Near the end of his service obligation, he fell in love with wine and enrolled in the enology program at California State University, Fresno.

Over the last three decades, he’s worked his way through West Coast wineries big and small, building a reputation for enticing crowdpleasers, award-winning selections and an overall willingness to experiment that leads to consistently delicious results.

In 2003, he also launched his own winemaking venture in Paso Robles, where he could craft smaller batches of wines and double-down on quality.

Though the brand has since expanded to include a range of red and white options, it began with an exclusive focus on Pinot.

“To me, Pinot Noir is not only the sexiest wine in the world, but also the most versatile… a true joy to drink,” says Adam. “It’s also one of the few wines you can't improve once the grapes arrive in the winery, you can only screw things up. It’s important to respect what the vineyard gives you.”

For this special release, Adam sourced grapes from two of California’s best vineyard sites and, after fermentation, aged the wine nine long months in a mix of stainless steel and oak. The result offers a depth of cherry fruit flavors, vibrant acidity, and warming cinnamon and cardamom tones that are indeed a pleasure to drink.