2021 Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Napa Valley
This Napa Valley Chardonnay opens with aromas of ripe green and golden apple, accented by fresh white peach and light oak. Across the palate, this golden wine is silken in texture with flavors of apple, citrus and pear balanced by refreshing acidity. The long finish is clean, with underlying hints of minerality, vanilla and lemon. This is a versatile pairing wine—we love it with grilled seafood and nearly any selection of cheeses.
The very first wine released from Cakebread Cellars nearly 50 years ago was the 1973 Napa Valley Chardonnay. Today, the grapes behind this wine come from the cool Carneros appellation at the southern edge of Napa Valley. In this fog-shrouded appellation, the Pacific Ocean moderates temperatures – creating the perfect microclimate for ripening premium Chardonnay.
Neither a cake, nor a bread. The winery got its start when Jack Cakebread took an unassuming trip to wine country to photograph the area for a book. Within a few days, Cakebread Winery was already taking shape. It’s been a wild ride over the last forty years for the valley pioneers. Visitors to the winery with an interest in wine as a part of healthy living are on the upswing. While times are ‘a changing,’ the winery’s premise remains unshakable; to produce memorable, food friendly wines that speak of their distinctive terroir. Visitors to the Rutherford estate experience the wine, and if they are lucky, a glimpse of Dolores Cakebread’s famed gardens. This is where the good life was imagined, and here it’s eagerly shared.