Dec 30, 2022
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Cakebread Cellars
| Owner(s) | Bruce Cakebread, Dennis Cakebread |
| Web site | www.cakebread.com |
| Link to this site |
This is one of Napa's older wineries, founded in 1973 by Jack & Delores Cakebread, now operated by sons Bruce & Dennis Cakebread. The winery farms 584 estate acres, almost entirely in the Napa Valley. The exception being the 46-acre Apple Barn Vineyard in Anderson Valley near Boonville planted to six French Pinot Noir clones and Chardonnay in 2001, and the 60-acre Annahala Vineyard just a half-mile west of Apple Barn containing eight clones of Pinot Noir.
Known for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cakebread also produces several Pinot Noirs: Anderson Valley, Two Creeks Anderson Valley, Apple Barn Vineyard Anderson Valley, Annahala Ranch Anderson Valley and Carneros.
The winemaker since 2002 has been Julianne Laks, the third winemaker in the winery's 40-year history. She is a UC Davis graduate (1977) and had enology positions at Beringer and Beaulieu Vineyards before joining Cakebread as a part-time enologist. She soon became full time, was then promoted to assistant winemaker, and became winemaker when Bruce Cakebread became president and COO.
Tours and tasting are by appointment at the popular Visitor Center in Rutherford. The wines are available online and widely distributed.
Articles About Cakebread Cellars
Anderson Noir Valley Pinot Festival: After the Smoke Clears (8.16 6/8/2010)
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival (9.26 6/23/2013)
Pinot Noirs from Producers Outside the Anderson Valley that Source Grapes from within the Anderson Valley (6.60 6/9/2008)
Press Tasting of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (9.44 7/28/2014)
Press Tasting of Current Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Releases (10.34 7/24/2016)
Reviewed Wines
2014 Cakebread Cellars Two Creeks Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.9% alc., $42. Aged 10 months in
French oak barrels.
·
Dark reddish purple color in the glass. This wine is heavily oak infused with aromas of
tobacco and toast and caramelized wood flavors on the palate. Mid weight plus styled, with a gorgeous core of
black stone and berry fruits, this wine finds good mid palate saturation and follow through with an intensely
fruited finish. I have tasted several vintages of Cakebread Cellars Pinot Noir and the heavy tug of oak is typical.
Score: 88.
Reviewed July 24, 2016
ARTICLE »
2012 Cakebread Cellars Two Creeks Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $42. Several
Dijon clones, Pommard and Swan selection. Aged 10 months in 38% new French oak.
·
Moderate reddish
purple color in the glass. Very shy aromas of black cherry, raspberry and underbrush. Much more expressive
on the palate with vivid black cherry and ripe strawberry flavors complimented by oak. The middleweight fruit
core is striking.
Score: 90.
Reviewed July 28, 2014
ARTICLE »
2011 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., pH 3.67, TA 0.58, $49.50. Released
October 1, 2012. Winemaker Julianne Laks. Each clone fermented separately. Post-fermentation maceration
for several weeks. Aged 11 months in 37% new French oak barrels.
·
Moderate reddish-purple color in the
glass. This wine is true to the Cakebread Pinot Noir style exhibiting prominent oak on the nose and palate.
Middleweight flavors of black raspberries and black cherries clothed in modest tannins and toasty oak, finishing
with some length. The fruit is quite alluring, but I just can!t get beyond the oak. Worth revisiting in a year.
Decent.
Reviewed June 23, 2013
ARTICLE »
2007 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.9% alc., pH 3.68, 1,500 cases, $37. Released in
the fall of 2009. Aged 15 months in 40% new French oak. Winemaker Julianne Laks.
·
Moderately deep color.
Rich and penetrating aromas of dark red cherries and berries. Flavors of boysenberry and plum drive the fruit
profile which is rich and mouth coating. Less oak influence than in 2006 for the better. Dry and staunch
tannins enrobe the fruit and may soften with time, but this will always be a big-boned and tannic wine. Good.
Reviewed June 8, 2010
ARTICLE »
2006 Cakebread Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.7% alc., 3,600 cases, $50. The six clones
were fermented separately, with 15% fermented with native yeasts. 3-day cold soak,
fermented in open-top stainless steel tanks with manual punch downs. Macerated on skins 2
weeks, free run juice drained into barrels, aged 15 months in 45% new French oak.
·
Moderate
reddish-violet color. Attractive aromas of fresh berries and brown spice. Tasty and sappy
blackberry and raspberry fruit with moderate finely-ground dry tannins. This wine does not
have the heavy tug of oak found in the 2005 vintage. A substantial Pinot Noir with plenty of
extraction that will appeal to lovers of the New World style.
Reviewed May 26, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $49. Sourced
from the Cakebread estate vineyard near Boonville. Made from six clones, all
vinified separately. Aged 14 months in 46% new French oak. The winemaker is
Julianne Lake.
·
Like many Pinot Noirs I taste from Napa Valley producers, this wine is
heavily oaked. There is prodigious fruit which is dark, plumy and earthy. Maybe it
was the heat at the Festival, but I just couldn’t get close to this one.
Reviewed June 9, 2008
ARTICLE »
2014 Cakebread Cellars Two Creeks Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.9% alc., $42. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels. · Dark reddish purple color in the glass. This wine is heavily oak infused with aromas of tobacco and toast and caramelized wood flavors on the palate. Mid weight plus styled, with a gorgeous core of black stone and berry fruits, this wine finds good mid palate saturation and follow through with an intensely fruited finish. I have tasted several vintages of Cakebread Cellars Pinot Noir and the heavy tug of oak is typical. Score: 88. Reviewed July 24, 2016 ARTICLE »
2012 Cakebread Cellars Two Creeks Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.2% alc., $42. Several Dijon clones, Pommard and Swan selection. Aged 10 months in 38% new French oak. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very shy aromas of black cherry, raspberry and underbrush. Much more expressive on the palate with vivid black cherry and ripe strawberry flavors complimented by oak. The middleweight fruit core is striking. Score: 90. Reviewed July 28, 2014 ARTICLE »
2011 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., pH 3.67, TA 0.58, $49.50. Released October 1, 2012. Winemaker Julianne Laks. Each clone fermented separately. Post-fermentation maceration for several weeks. Aged 11 months in 37% new French oak barrels. · Moderate reddish-purple color in the glass. This wine is true to the Cakebread Pinot Noir style exhibiting prominent oak on the nose and palate. Middleweight flavors of black raspberries and black cherries clothed in modest tannins and toasty oak, finishing with some length. The fruit is quite alluring, but I just can!t get beyond the oak. Worth revisiting in a year. Decent. Reviewed June 23, 2013 ARTICLE »
2007 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.9% alc., pH 3.68, 1,500 cases, $37. Released in the fall of 2009. Aged 15 months in 40% new French oak. Winemaker Julianne Laks. · Moderately deep color. Rich and penetrating aromas of dark red cherries and berries. Flavors of boysenberry and plum drive the fruit profile which is rich and mouth coating. Less oak influence than in 2006 for the better. Dry and staunch tannins enrobe the fruit and may soften with time, but this will always be a big-boned and tannic wine. Good. Reviewed June 8, 2010 ARTICLE »
2006 Cakebread Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.7% alc., 3,600 cases, $50. The six clones were fermented separately, with 15% fermented with native yeasts. 3-day cold soak, fermented in open-top stainless steel tanks with manual punch downs. Macerated on skins 2 weeks, free run juice drained into barrels, aged 15 months in 45% new French oak. · Moderate reddish-violet color. Attractive aromas of fresh berries and brown spice. Tasty and sappy blackberry and raspberry fruit with moderate finely-ground dry tannins. This wine does not have the heavy tug of oak found in the 2005 vintage. A substantial Pinot Noir with plenty of extraction that will appeal to lovers of the New World style. Reviewed May 26, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Cakebread Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $49. Sourced from the Cakebread estate vineyard near Boonville. Made from six clones, all vinified separately. Aged 14 months in 46% new French oak. The winemaker is Julianne Lake. · Like many Pinot Noirs I taste from Napa Valley producers, this wine is heavily oaked. There is prodigious fruit which is dark, plumy and earthy. Maybe it was the heat at the Festival, but I just couldn’t get close to this one. Reviewed June 9, 2008 ARTICLE »