Have Your Cakebread And Drink It, Too! Happy 50th Anniversary Cakebread Cellars
The year was 1973, the place was the Napa Valley. A movement was beginning. The groundswell of excitable young winemakers preparing to take the world stage was akin to the ocean drawing itself out to prepare for a tsunami. Little did they know, the hard work they put into the 1973 vintage would soon be immortalized in the famous Judgement Of Paris wine tasting. California wine producers outperformed the top French wine producers in both the red and white categories. Both anointed wines were grown in 1973, and made in the Napa Valley. That same year Jack and Dolores Cakebread founded their eponymous winery. Jack studied with Ansel Adams from 1957 to 1966, and in 1972 was given the opportunity to help photograph what would become Nathan Chroman’s celebrated coffee table book, The Treasury of American Wines. An advance from the book acted as a downpayment for a 22 acre ranch in Rutherford, today's site of Cakebread Cellars. 50 years later, instead of doing an obligatory Gold 50th Anniversary victory lap, Cakebread Cellars is doubling down and releasing a series of new single-vineyard bottlings of handcrafted Chardonnay to commemorate. Liquid gold, literally. Drink up, y'all.
The 50th Anniversary Chardonnay Collection
The 50th Anniversary Chardonnay Collection (SRP: $300 / $250 for Club Members) – a four-bottle series of unique single vineyard chardonnays – launched in April, available both at the winery and online at Cakebread.com. Each Chardonnay is 100% estate-grown and showcases a unique profile that reflects the clonal, climate and soil diversity of the vineyard from which it comes. The four vineyards highlighted in the series - Cuttings Wharf, Foster Road, Milton Road, and Tinsley – all reside in the Napa Carneros AVA, an appellation that has been pivotal in creating the classic chardonnay style Cakebread Cellars is well known for.
In fitting tribute to Founder, Jack Cakebread, each wine’s label features a different photograph taken by the Ansel Adams-trained photographer. Co-Owner and Board Member, Bruce Cakebread expresses his gratitude, “We are so fortunate to be celebrating 50 years. It only makes sense to be celebrating with chardonnay, as it was the first varietal produced by Cakebread Cellars, and a favorite of our parents. This special release tells the Cakebread Cellars story, that of the vineyards and winemaking practices that we have developed since our founding, which we will continue to refine over the next 50 years.”
Throughout the anniversary year, Cakebread will offer an updated library tasting to showcase older vintages for guests to get a rare taste of the winery’s history and, beginning in April, Cakebread will select bottles from the family’s library of wines to pour for every guest who visits the recently remodeled tasting room. Cakebread consumers around the country will also get a chance to lift a glass to 50 years, with local celebrations taking place throughout the country and special celebration events at the winery through the fall.
Chairman of the Board and co-owner Dennis Cakebread shares, “Our anniversary is a chance to celebrate our history and share new opportunities and experiences with all the customers and trade partners that have supported us over the last 50 years. Many have become great friends. We are proud of our past and energized by all that is ahead for Cakebread Cellars – from innovations in winemaking and sustainability, to new offerings and newly own vineyards including our recent vineyard acquisition in the Napa Carneros AVA.”
In January, Cakebread Cellars expanded its 50-year commitment to quality winemaking and terroir expression with the launch of Bezel, a new collection of wines celebrating Paso Robles AVA within California’s Central Coast. This collection features a Chardonnay (SRP: $25) and Pinot Noir (SRP: $30) and are currently available in TX, CO, CT, and TN with planned expansion in the near future. Bezel joins Mullan Road Cellars, a Washington-based Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP: $45), to complement the offerings by the Cakebread family.
