2014 Chardonnay Napa Valley

Our Napa Valley Merlot displays deep aromas of blackberry and black cherry with a background of crushed stone and violet. Concentrated flavors of fresh blackberry and black plum are balanced by fine tannins and fresh acidity. A lingering rich black cherry finish with a note of minerality rounds out this complex and elegant Merlot.

This Merlot comes from our estate vineyards throughout Napa Valley, including our Suscol Springs Ranch in the cooler southeastern reaches. We also include grapes from our warm, nutrient-rich valley floor vineyard in Rutherford. The diversity of these Merlot vineyard sites enables us to craft a wine that highlights the best of the varietal; deep fruit flavors, silky mouthfeel, bright acidity, and refined elegant tannins.

Grown in the cool Carneros conditions that maintain excellent balance between fruit characters and acidity in grapes. We ferment and age this wine in French oak barrels, and leave it on the yeast lees for months to enhance texture and complexity. Floral aromas mingle with fresh citrus, orange blossom, and white peach characters, and the palate is weighty yet balanced, with a mouth-coating texture and a clean, mineral finish.

"The 1973 Napa Valley Cakebread Chardonnay was the very first wine we released, and we've been fine-tuning it ever since."– Jack Cakebread

We call our family's Annahala and Apple Barn estate vineyards the 'Two Creek Vineyards,' since these former apple orchards sit on the banks of Anderson Creek, not far from the Pacific Ocean. Here, the soils and weather patterns are ideal for cultivating Pinot Noir, which thrives in the chilly, maritime climate due to the proximity of the Pacific. This climate promotes slow and even ripening, which results in grapes with maximum fruit flavors and a precise balance of opulence and structure.