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About Us

Location: Cakebread Cellars is located in the town of Rutherford in the Napa Valley of California. The Cakebread Cellars winery, which is on the east side of Highway 29 between Oakville and Rutherford, has no sign so it is easy to miss. The black mailbox with the Cakebread name on it is the only marking.

Vineyards: Cakebread Cellars owns 82 acres of vineyard which are planted to Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Much of the wine production comes from grapes purchased from other Napa Valley grape growers with whom the winery has contracts and long term relationships. Cakebread draws from approximately 400 acres under contract ranging from Rutherford to Carneros.

History: In 1973 Jack Cakebread arrived in the Napa Valley to take photographs for a book. He ended up buying a ranch in Rutherford from some family friends that was the foundation of Cakebread Cellars. The family business has grown from the initial production of less than 200 cases of Chardonnay in 1973 to a thriving enterprise with a strong reputation for quality and distribution in many countries. The Cakebread Cellars winery was built in 1980.

Winemaking: Over the years, Cakebread has developed specific winemaking regimens for each grape varietey it uses.

Depending on the grade, Chardonnay is usually pressed in whole clusters, mostly or entirely barrel fermented and a portion (from 15% to 35%) is allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation. Barrel aging after fermentation can last from 9 to 14 months.

The Cabernet Sauvignons are usually blended with small percentages of one or more of the other Bordeaux blending grapes. The wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in oak barrels for 18 to 22 months after fermentations.

Each of the other varieties that Cakebread Cellars uses to produce wines has similar specialized regimens to achieve wines of very high quality.

Wines: Cakebread Cellars produces approximately 75,000 cases per year of all wines combined.

Visits: Cakebread receives several thousand visitors each year. Tours and tastings are by prior appointment only. Please call 800-588-0298 for times, fees and details. Sales are available 10:00 am until 4:30 pm.