Cakebread Cellars

Cakebread Cellars
Location 8300 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford, California, USA
Coordinates 38°26′52″N 122°24′39″W / 38.447897°N 122.410739°W / 38.447897; -122.410739Coordinates: 38°26′52″N 122°24′39″W / 38.447897°N 122.410739°W / 38.447897; -122.410739
Wine region Napa County, California
Appellation Napa Valley AVA
Formerly Sturdivant Ranch
Founded 1973 (1973)
First vines planted AxR1 rootstock
First vintage 1973
Opened to the public 1974
Key people Jack and Dolores Cakebread
Acres cultivated 460
Cases/yr 75,000
Known for Chardonnay Reserve
Varietals Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel
Other attractions American Harvest Workshop
Distribution International
Tasting By appointment
Website www.cakebread.com

Cakebread Cellars is a Napa Valley winery known for its world-class Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines, which are internationally distributed.[1] Founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread in Rutherford, California, Cakebread Cellars has earned a reputation for "exceptional wines and gracious hospitality" and is considered one of the most highly esteemed and successful wineries in Napa Valley.[2] The winery produces approximately 75,000 cases of wine per year.[3] In 2013, Cakebread Cellars celebrated its fortieth anniversary in winemaking.[4]

History

Jack and Dolores Cakebread met in high school in Oakland, California and were married in 1950.[5] After Jack completed his military service during the Korean War, the couple settled in Oakland with their three sons, Steve, Dennis, and Bruce.[5] Jack Cakebread, who had worked on his family's orchard in Contra Costa County, worked with his father at Cakebread's Garage in Oakland.[2] He also developed an interest in photography. In 1972, while taking photographs for Nathan Chroman's book Treasury of American Wines, Jack and Dolores Cakebread offered to purchase the Sturdivant Ranch in Rutherford, California. The Sturdivant family accepted their offer, and soon the Cakebreads were attending winemaking classes at the University of California, Davis, where they learned from local vintners Louis M. Martini and Robert Mondavi.[5] Within a year the Cakebreads planted their first Sauvignon Blanc on AxR1 rootstock.[6] During the first few years, Jack and Dolores divided their time between the garage and establishing the winery on the weekends.[2] In 1974, the original winery was completed and Cakebread Cellars produced its first wine: 157 cases of 1973 Chardonnay. The following year, they crushed their first Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Keenan Winery. In 1976, they released the first Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon ('74 vintage), and their first vintage of Zinfandel, produced at Las Domingus Ranch on Howell Mountain.[6] The original winery was enlarged in 1977, and Mondavi enologist Larry Wara was hired as a wine consultant.[6] The following year, Cakebread produced three Cabernets for '78 vintage: JTL1, Napa Valley, and Lot 2.[6] In 1979, Bruce Cakebread joined the family business as a full-time winemaker after graduating from the University of California, Davis. That year, five fermenters were installed outside the front barn.[6]

Cakebread Cellars front entrance

The 1980s saw significant growth at Cakebread Cellars. In 1980, a new winery building was constructed. Designed by architect William Turnbull, Jr., the building's design won awards from the California Architects Association in 1981, the East Bay Architects Association in 1982, and the AIA & Wood Council in 1983.[6] Cakebread also produced its first Rutherford Reserve vintage in 1980.[6] The following year, the winery's first employee Tod Dexter was hired; he would stay with Cakebread for eight years, and then go on to start his own wine label, Dexter Winery, in Morington Penn near Melbourne.[6] In 1982, Jack Cakebread acquired an adjacent 12-acre ranch and planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.[6] After introducing state-of-the-art neutron probe technology to maximize vineyard production, Cakebread Cellars began marketing internationally in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore in 1984.[6] In 1985, the Cakebread's remodeled their 100-year-old winery home with a state-of-the-art kitchen and comfortable guest accommodations. That year, Jim May became Cakebread's first resident chef.[6] In 1986, Dennis Cakebread joined the family business, managing finance, sales, and marketing. In the fall of 1986, Cakebread hosted its first American Harvest Workshop to showcase prominent chefs and artisan food purveyors from around the country.[5] The following year, the American Harvest Workshop became an annual fall event.[6]

Cakebread Cellars wine tasting

During the 1990s, Cakebread Cellars underwent significant growth and established its reputation as a producer of world-class wines. In 1990, Jack Cakebread served as president of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, and the following year Cakebread produced their first Merlot.[6] Cakebread's early success built a loyal following and enabled Cakebread to continue purchasing top vineyards.[2] Soon their sons Bruce and Dennis joined the family business full-time.[2] In 1994, they introduced their first Pinot Noir and Rubaiyat. That year they completed replanting of all 75 acres damaged from phylloxera. Due to the development of sub-AVA of Oakville and Rutherford, the 1993 and 1994 vintages of Rutherford Reserve were changed to "reserve".[6] In 1995, Cakebread introduced Three Sisters and Benchland Select, and purchased a 60-acre former apple orchard in Anderson Valley and began developing this vineyard for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.[6] In 1996, the winery started purchasing fruit in Carneros from Foster Road and then Tinsley Ranch. The following year, the third phase of the winery expansion project was completed, allowing for further expansion with the purchase of an adjacent winery and vineyard. Also that year, Dennis Cakebread served as president of the Napa Valley Vintner Association.[6] In 1998, Cakebread purchased 200 acres on Howell Mountain and began developing these hillside vineyards into what would become Dancing Bear Ranch.[2][6]

Cakebread Cellars 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

The past fifteen years have seen the continued expansion and refinement of Cakebread Cellars. In 2000, Cakebread completed its Oakville winery facility. The following year, the family purchased the adjacent 1.7 acre McKay parcel.[6] In 2002, Bruce Cakebread became president and chief operating officer of the company, and Julianne Laks became winemaker.[7] The first vintage of Dancing Bear Ranch was produced that year.[6] In 2003, Cakebread acquired the 27-acre Foster Road Vineyard in Carneros and the 40-acre Maple Lane Vineyards in Calistoga.[6] In 2004, University of California, Davis graduate Toby Halkovich was hired as viticulturist. That year, the winery purchased Tinsley Ranch in Carneros, the Cuttings Wharf Road Vineyard, and Suscol Springs Ranch in southeast Napa.[6] In 2006, the winery purchased its Milton Road property in Carneros, and the following year the east addition to the main building was completed with tasting areas and lab space.[6] In 2008, Cakebread acquired its Arroyo Creek Vineyard.[6] In 2009, Dennis Cakebread became vice-chairman of the Board of Directors, and the Suscol Springs Vineyard produced its first commercial wines. The following year, Bruce Cakebread served as president of the Napa Valley Vintners. In 2012, Cakebread purchased Annahala Vineyard in Anderson Valley. That same year, the company initiated plans to pave a new parking lot, relocate the bottling line, add new storage space, and build a new visitor facility. In 2013, Cakebread Cellars celebrated its fortieth anniversary in winemaking.[6]

Vineyards

Cakebread Cellars currently produces wines from eleven estate vineyard properties located throughout Napa Valley and one location in the Anderson Valley. Following the initial purchase of the first 22-acre parcel in Rutherford in 1972, the family acquired additional vineyard parcels throughout Napa Valley and the North Coast. Cakebread Cellars currently owns thirteen sites totaling 982 acres, 460 of which are currently planted in eleven vineyards[8] that produce approximately 75,000 cases of wine per year.[3]

Wines

Cakebread Cellars gift shop

Cakebread Cellars produces a wide range of world-class wines:

Winemaking

Cakebread Cellars fermentation tanks

Throughout its forty years as winemakers, Cakebread Cellars has maintained a philosophy centered around the "quest for improvement".[2] The director of vineyard operations, Toby Halkovich, joined Cakebread in 2004 and manages the winery's estate vineyards and contract growers. According to Halkovich, technology has been the driving force of change for the winery: "Technology allows us to be more nimble and to fully express each vineyard's character in our wines from year to year."[2] Halkovich has worked closely with the University of California, Davis on innovations to improve the flavor and varietal expressiveness of the wines. New devices allow him to track data wirelessly and correlate that data with grape and wine characteristics.[2]

Winemaker Julianne Laks has been with Cakebread for nearly three decades—and winemaker since 2002.[7] Laks also credits advances in technology and improved winemaking practices as "key factors in qualitative improvements in the wines".[2] Whole-cluster white grape pressing, night harvesting, and oak barrel aging a portion of Cakebread's Chardonnay for reserve are a few examples of the significant developments implemented under Laks' direction. Both Laks and Halkovich acknowledge that "the human palate is still the overriding faculty in assessing grape and wine character".[2] Laks and cellar master Brian Lee have fine-tuned the barrel-aging program through working with different coopers and analyzing the effects of using oak from different forests.[2] For Laks, Lee, Halkovich, and the entire team at Cakebread, their ultimate goal is to "improve quality, vintage by vintage".[2]

Tours and wine tastings

Cakebread Cellars tour and wine tasting

Cakebread Cellars offers tours and wine tastings by appointment throughout the year. The winery's visitor center staff provides information on the history, vineyards, and wines of Cakebread Cellars.[10] The winery offers seven types of tours and wine tastings:

American Harvest Workshop

Cakebread Cellars garden

Since the early years of Cakebread Cellars, the winery has been recognized for its "outstanding hospitality" under the influence of Dolores Cakebread, an accomplished cook and gardener.[2] Dolores' approach to cooking has always been focused on creating fresh, healthy recipes for guests to enjoy with Cakebread wines. In 1986, Jack and Dolores Cakebread and Dallas hotelier Bill Shoaf[5] organized the first American Harvest Workshop to showcase prominent chefs and artisan food purveyors from around the country.[6] The workshop soon became an annual four-day event featuring five chefs from around the country who collaborate, plan, and execute two multicourse dinners in Cakebread's winery kitchen.[5] Cakebread is one of the few wineries in Napa Valley with a "full-time, in-house culinary department, dedicated solely to developing and executing educational programs, from wine-and-food pairing seminars and blending sessions, to the ever-popular, hands-on cooking classes".[2] Culinary director Brian Streeter, who joined Cakebread in 1989, manages the American Harvest Workshop program and the culinary team.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Cakebread". Wine.com. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Celebrating 40 Years: A Family Tradition of Premium Napa Valley Wines". Kobrand. March 20, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Cakebread Cellars". Cellar Notes. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ Bell, Katie Kelly (December 18, 2013). "Why Cakebread Cellars is One of Napa's Best Success Stories". Forbes. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cakebread, Jack and Dolores; Streeter, Brian (2011). The Cakebread Cellars American Harvest Cookbook. Berkely: Ten Speed Press. pp. 1–23. ISBN 978-1607740131.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Cakebread Cellars History". Cakebread. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Gold, Amanda (July 19, 2009). "Cakebread still a Wine Country standout". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Cakebread Cellars Vineyards". Cakebread. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Cakebread Cellars Wines". Cakebread. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Cakebread Cellars Tours & Tastings". Cakebread. Retrieved September 2, 2014.

External links

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