Fodor's Expert Review Cakebread Cellars

The late Jack and Dolores Cakebread were among the wave of early-1970s vintners whose efforts raised the Napa Valley's wine-making profile and initiated what became known as the Wine Country lifestyle. Tasting experiences at the winery's redwood-lined hospitality center adapt that lifestyle to contemporary sensibilities while still honoring Cakebread's history. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon helped establish the company, which makes so many other wines—Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and sundry red blends among them—that you can opt for an all-reds or all-whites tasting. All visits are by appointment. The Cakebread Classic survey of current releases provides a good introduction; for a deeper dive, book one of the wine-and-food pairings or the library tasting of older vintages.