2018 Stoudemire Origin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 750 ml

It’s no mystery why we dubbed our friend Kamal’s Instagram Ferraris and First Growths: The man lives well, and drinks even better.

So when we met him at PRESS in Napa Valley for an outdoor dinner, we didn’t protest when he offered to bring a bottle of Cabernet—and when he poured us a taste and said “Guess whose wine this is!” we prepared to savor the best of the best. He sat back as we took in the deep dark ruby color and super-ripe red fruit aromas, and by the time the full, silky, mixed-berry palate was giving way to fine grippy tannins, we had the names of about five of California’s top vintners on the tip of our tongue.

“Amar’e Stoudemire!” he said, before we had the chance to guess. The NBA All-Star’s name barely registered at the moment—we were still wrapped up in the 2018 Stoudemire Origin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, which didn’t let us out of its powerful, full-bodied grasp until we’d finished every last drop. Even then, the tannins lingered indefinitely, making it impossible to focus on anything else. 

And that means we couldn’t get the gorgeous Cabernet off our mind until we’d secured the rights to bring this to Wine Access members. 

At six-foot-ten and with an NBA Rookie of the Year award and six All-Star appearances under his belt, Amar’e Stoudemire is the definition of exceptional… but we still feel like he’s one of us. The former hardwood star is an ever-curious renaissance man who is always on the move, and no matter where he is on the globe—and here’s the part we really identify with—he’s always on the lookout for incredible wine.

It was only a matter of time before Amar’e became a vintner himself. He made his first wines in Israel, a land to which he feels a deep connection to because of his Jewish roots. He’s a citizen of both Israel and the United States, so when he decided he was going to make a wine in his native country, he went straight to California. He partnered with the renowned Herzog family, to avail himself of their eight generations of winemaking expertise and achieve his goal of being the first Black Kosher winemaker. 

Headquartered on California’s Central Coast, the family tapped their extensive vineyard relationships to secure fruit from Paso Robles, one of the highest-value regions in the state—and the result is a wine that fit right in when Mr. Ferraris and First Growths himself poured us a taste. We’re thrilled to be a part of Amar’e’s pioneering wine journey, and can’t wait for you to join us.