Cakebread have been making Chardonnay in the Napa Valley for 42 years, Bruce Cakebread (pictured) told us while introducing a vertical of this wine in London recently. Back in 1970s California, Chardonnay was far less popular than Chenin Blanc made in an off-dry style, he continued, and the dominant clone had large clusters that was not conducive to creating quality wines.
Then came phylloxera, which forced a replanting programme that helped set Chardonnay on the path to fame and fortune. Most significantly, cooler vineyard sites were selected in the southern part of the Napa Valley, such as Oak Knoll and...