Karen Cakebread
69 Minutes
Had you met Karen Cakebread in the 1980s, when she worked in an accounting role at Hewlett-Packard, you might be forgiven for not predicting she'd go on to have a long career in Napa Valley wine. But within a few years, she married Steve Cakebread and began representing Cakebread Cellars in markets across Asia.
Back in Napa Valley, she worked in a variety of roles at Cakebread, including tasks in the cellar and vineyard, while also focusing on international marketing and culinary programs.
In the late 1990s, Karen helped organize a women-led philanthropic foundation to raise funds for breast cancer research. The group supported the cause by taking on challenges together, including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.
In 2008, following her instincts, Karen moved on from Cakebread to launch Ziata, her own Napa Valley wine brand, enlisting the help of winemaker (and former podcast guest) Nile Zacherle. When Nile moved on to David Arthur Vineyards, Karen received a strong recommendation for a new winemaker from her friend Heidi Barrett.
Today, Ziata is a partnership between Karen and her friends at Trinchero Family Estates. She also continues to support the vitality of the wine industry as president of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers.
For more visit:
"Grown in Napa Valley" - the Grapegrowers podcast