Celebrating Inspiring Women in Wine
International Women’s Day with Stephanie Jacobs of Cakebread Cellars
Cakebread Cellars Tasting Room in Rutherford, Napa Valley
“When a woman rises up in glory, her energy is magnetic and her sense of possibility contagious.” ~ Marianne Williamson
March is Women’s History Month, and today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. Although it’s important to celebrate women all year long, this month is an excellent time to observe our past, honor the present, and shine a light on our future possibilities.
To celebrate this day, grab a glass and join me in raising a toast to Stephanie Jacobs, the Director Of Winemaking at Cakebread Cellars! Family-owned and operated since 1973, Cakebread produces distinguished wines from 15 sites across Napa Valley and beyond. Only the family’s fourth winemaker in those fifty years, Stephanie is a huge inspiration to women, having admirable success in the world of wine.
Her path towards winemaking that ultimately led her to Cakebread began while she was an exchange student in France. That original spark turned into a passion while she was taking classes at UC Davis for a degree in Fermentation Sciences. After diving into a few required winemaking courses, she found her calling and became an Enologist. Lucky for us!
In 2004, Stephanie joined Cakebread Cellars as their Enologist and, in 2008, became the Assistant Winemaker. Throughout her almost twenty-year tenure at the winery, she was also the Pinot Noir Project Leader. And in 2017, Stephanie was promoted to the Director of Winemaking, overseeing ALL winemaking operations
In honor of International Women’s Day, I asked Stephanie more about her inspiring career with Cakebread Cellars and much more! Here is what she had to say.
You’ve been with Cakebread Cellars for almost twenty years! What do you feel the secret is to having such a long tenure with the winery?
There are five things that I’ve found really drive me:
Alignment of core values
Opportunities for growth
Quality, passionate professional leadership
Engagement in new products and vineyard opportunities
Respect and trust in my team
What advice would you give to women who want to follow your path into winemaking at the highest level?
It always helps to seek an educational degree in a related field: viticulture & enology, fermentation science, horticulture, or food science.
Obtaining experience in the industry, whether it is an internship, entry-level or seasonal job. So can receiving some business education.
Other great ways to expose yourself to the workings of the industry are attending trade shows and industry seminars for education and to develop a network, join a tasting group and tasting a lot of wines, and staying active in the local industry community.
Who have been your female mentors during your winemaking career?
I have been surrounded by successful, talented women in my tenure at Cakebread Cellars - including Dolores Cakebread and Julianne Laks. It is about talent, results, and relationships.
When you're finished making wine, what do you reach for besides a glass of wine?
I drink a lot of herbal tea.
It goes to show that education and strong female mentors are essential to women’s equality and advancement in wine. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed!
Cheers to Stephanie and Cakebread Cellars for empowering women while consistently producing world-class wines for all of us to enjoy! To taste their age-worthy wines, check out Cakebread Cellars.