Founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread, Cakebread Cellars quickly became one of Napa Valley’s leading family-run wineries. The first winery building was completed in 1974, but it was the 1980 facility by architect William Turnbull Jr. that gave the estate its defining architectural character. Turnbull drew from Napa’s agricultural roots, adapting barn-like forms and materials through a modernist lens, an approach that proved influential for winery design across the valley in the 1980s and 1990s.
The estate still centers on Turnbull’s 1980 building, complemented by later expansions, including a major renovation in 2019-20 by BCV Architecture + Interiors with architect Don Brandenburger. New tasting rooms and production spaces extend the property while preserving the scale and material palette. Together, the complex demonstrates how modern winery architecture in Napa evolved to serve functional needs while echoing the region’s agricultural landscape and identity.