The most dramatic changes and extraordinary improvements in the wine business are found in the vineyard and winery. "Years ago, the vines would get one long drink in the spring which was believed to be enough until harvest," Bruce Cakebread, President and COO at Cakebread Cellars, said. "Today, Cakebread Cellars uses a neutron-probe irrigation system which allows us to accurately measure how much water specific vines are using and how much watering is needed to grow better grapes."

"In early years at harvest, we brought all the fruit in, de-stemmed and crushed it and put the wine in barrels as a matter of routine. The only variations were for red or white grapes," Bruce remembered. "Today, we have 'game plans' for each block in every vineyard which are written during the summer, so we're ready for harvest." A game plan includes how to press (de-stem or whole-cluster), fermentation instructions and which barrels to use (different oak and toast) - all based on data from previous vintages and reflecting the current growing season. "We don't repeat undesirable combinations and the entire crew knows ahead of time what the game plan is so we get the best we can from the fruit."

This increase in sophistication and knowledge in winemaking has given Cakebread Cellars the opportunity to offer a broader selection of wines to their customers. In addition to a diverse selection of new varietals available at the winery, two new wines have been released that demonstrates the difference between vineyards located in the Eastern and Western slopes of the Napa Valley. Both are Cabernet Sauvignons that represent the distinctive terroir of the opposing sides of the valley.