Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay 2024 750ml

Jack and Dolores Cakebread founded their Napa winery with a first vintage in 1973. Dennis and Bruce Cakebread own it today, and Niki Williams is the winemaker.

The 2024 Chardonnay comes from Carneros, in southern Napa, where San Pablo Bay keeps the vineyards cool. The grapes were picked by hand at night, pressed as whole clusters and fermented in barrel, then aged nine months on the lees with stirring in French oak, 27% of it new. Only 4% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, so it stays crisp rather than buttery. It's 13.8% alcohol and sealed with a cork.

The winery describes apple, lemon curd, peach, vanilla, jasmine and crème brûlée, then citrus, pear and melon, with a long, creamy, mineral finish.

Against Rombauer, Cakebread is crisper and more mineral; for a classic Napa Chardonnay that isn't buttery, choose Cakebread.

Serve it lightly chilled with crab, halibut or roast chicken.

Browse more Napa Valley wine and our Chardonnay. Pick it up at our Brooklyn store or get same-day delivery in Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens.