Jack and Dolores Cakebread bought their first vineyard in 1972, a 22-acre site. The next year, they founded their Rutherford-based winery, Cakebread Cellars. The winery now holds 1,100 acres spread over 13 sites in Napa Valley and Anderson Valley with about 560 of those acres under vine. Cakebread is still owned and operated by the family.

Cakebread Cellars is best-known for its Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It also produces Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, Lake County Zinfandel and Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Merlot.

The wine styles are flavorful and generally fruit-driven, but still reflective of terroir. New French oak is used moderately and enhances the wine without obscuring natural complexity.

Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc is made from estate fruit grown in Carneros, southeastern Napa, Rutherford and Calistoga. Small percentages of Semillon and Sauvignon Musqué are typically included to make a more complete, well-rounded wine. The grapes are picked at night to retain freshness. After whole-cluster pressing they are fermented primarily in stainless steel tanks but with a portion in neutral French oak barrels. After fermentation, the wine all matures in neutral barrels.

The 2015 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley includes 10% Semillon and 4% Sauvignon Musqué. The fruit was harvested between August 4 and September 2. Fermentation was 80% stainless steel tank, 20% neutral French oak barrel.

2015 was a good year with a very early bud break, but no heat spikes or poor weather. As a result, harvest came earlier than any in Cakebread’s history. After three high-volume years, the crop was light. The result was excellent with small, intensely flavored berries. Cakebread considers this wine one of the finest Sauvignon Blanc they’ve ever made.

Look for bright, super-fresh aromas of sweet citrus, melon, guava and white flowers. The pure, vibrant flavors include grapefruit, guava, gooseberry, fleshy melon and white peach with refreshing minerality and a long, crisp finish. Alcohol is 13.9%.