In addition to the wines paired with Asian food that afternoon at Shangri-La’s 19 Oriental Avenue restaurant (Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, and Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay 2005), Bruce brought over other Cabernet Sauvignons from the excellent 2005 vintage from individual vineyard sites. This was a rare treat.

Cakebread Cellars was established in 1973 in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. Bruce’s parents Jack and Dolores started it from scratch, planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc on what was chiefly pasture in consultation with the University of California at Davis. The first harvest from Cakebread's own vines yielded a small output of 1976 Sauvignon Blanc.

Cakebread Cellar wines for Delhi's wine lovers

Until 1978, when Bruce, his youngest son joined his father in winemaking, Jack Cakebread produced all his own wines; the first was a 1973 Chardonnay followed by a 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon. During this period, a number of vintages of Zinfandel were also produced which were suspended in 1981, but resumed with the 1993 vintage. Jack’s early decision to blend his Cabernet Sauvignon with a special clone of Cabernet Franc rather than with Merlot resulted in 20 years of vintages of Cakebread Cellars Rutherford Reserve.
Cakebread Cellars’ gradual growth from 22 acres producing 157 cases of wine to 301 acres and approximately 95,000 cases this year has been planned by Jack and is a natural extension of a meticulous frame of mind which goes to remarkable lengths to ensure the quality of the wine.