While taking pictures for Nathan Chroman's "Treasury of American Wines" in 1972, Jack and Dolores Cakebread made an informal approach to purchasing the Rutherford Sturdivant Ranch. The Sturdivant family accepted their invitation, and shortly after, the first Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc plant was planted on AXR1 rootstock. The first winery was constructed next to a pond a year later, and Cakebread Cellars produced its first vintage, a 1973 Chardonnay. Jack Cakebread bought a nearby 12-acre property in 1982 and planted Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc there. The 40th anniversary of Cakebread Cellars was commemorated in 2013. Being the fourth winemaker in the history of Cakebread Cellars, Stephanie Jacobs finally took over as head winemaker in 2017.
Jack and Dolores Cakebread's house is encircled by Hill Ranch, which is located in the Rutherford region on the western edge of the Napa Valley. It started in the 1960s. This small region of the Rutherford Bench is known for its gravelly benchland soils, gently sloping western foothills, and top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon growing regions. The temperature is typically cold, and the soil type is bale loam. The Maple Lane Vineyard lies just south of Calistoga, close to the Silverado Trail, nestled against the northern Napa Valley hills. In the year 2004, it was planted. Many types of vines take root in the rich, well-drained soils of the valley floor.
From the release of the first vintage in 1973, purity and sustainability have served as the hallmark of Cakebread. In order to maintain vineyard wellness, sustainable vineyard practices include composting, lowering the use of herbicides, preventing synthetic fertilisers, managing pH appropriately, and implementing microbials to enhance vine balance. Moreover, their holistic pest management approach promotes the use of falcons for bird control, canopy management for disease control, and block-by-block monitoring. Also, they are dedicated to farming with the least potential negative influence on the environment. This involves constructing wildlife corridors, minimising tree removal, and recording animal numbers.
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