California winemaker on standing out in a male-dominated industry
Veteran Napa Valley vintner Rosemary Cakebread has been quietly making a name for herself
Based in California’s Napa Valley, in the United States, Rosemary Cakebread was winemaker at Spottswoode Winery for more than 15 years before launching her own label, Gallica, in 2007.
“My goal has always been to make balanced and elegant wines which, although they can be enjoyed upon release, become more interesting and nuanced with further ageing,” Cakebread says.
Wine, for her, is a lifelong journey and, despite an already in-depth knowledge, she remains passionate about learning.
“I am curious to see what other producers are doing, and try wines that I may not be familiar with or that are relatively unknown. I also feel it is important and inspirational to keep learning – forever be a student – by visiting other wine regions, reading, attending seminars and speaking with people to exchange ideas.”
Women are well represented professionally here in Napa Valley – although not equally in terms of numbers
And Cakebread encourages women to join an industry that is often considered male-dominated.