Napa Valley, California, United States, September 2025 — Cakebread Cellars today announced the appointment of David Amadia as President and Chief Executive Officer. Amadia will oversee the strategic direction and continued evolution of the Cakebread portfolio effective September 2025. This includes Cakebread Cellars of Napa Valley, along with Bezel from California’s Central Coast and Mullan Road Cellars in Washington’s Royal Slope AVA. He succeeds Mike Jaeger, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
“David’s deep industry experience and strong alignment with our values make him well-positioned to lead Cakebread Cellars into its next chapter,” said Dennis Cakebread, Chairman and second-generation co-owner. “Mike’s strategic guidance and organizational contributions have positioned us for what comes next, and we look forward to working alongside David as we continue to build on our over 50 years of history.”
Amadia has had the privilege of working alongside some of the industry’s most influential leaders, including Peter Gago at Penfolds, Randall Grahm at Bonny Doon, and Paul Draper at Ridge Vineyards. Most notably, he spent 17 years at Ridge Vineyards, where he served as President. Under his leadership, Ridge earned prestigious recognition, including a ten-year run on Drinks International’s Most Admired Wine Brands in the World.
Jaeger will continue with the company in an advisory role through the end of the year. Over his seven-year tenure, he led the winery through a period of growth and transformation, launching its new Central Coast brand, Bezel, nationwide; advancing sustainability initiatives; and introducing innovative practices while preserving the cherished family-owned culture. His leadership continued Cakebread’s standing as a respected and forward-thinking estate.
“It’s been an incredible ride,” said Mike Jaeger, CEO of Cakebread Cellars. “I truly can’t imagine a better way to close out my career than calling Cakebread Cellars home for the past seven years – a true ‘mic drop’ moment.”
“Cakebread Cellars has a strong tradition of quality, stewardship and consistency across multiple AVAs,” said Amadia. “It’s an honor to join a winery with such a strong foundation, and I look forward to working with the team to help shape the next phase of its story.”
About Cakebread Cellars
Cakebread Cellars was founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread, whose sons, Bruce and Dennis, own the winery today. In its 50-plus year history, the family-owned winery has earned a reputation for its exceptional wines, genuine hospitality, leading-edge sustainability practices, and culinary excellence. Cakebread Cellars is the proud recipient of multiple sustainability awards, including the Napa Green Medal Award, IWCA silver-level membership, along with several Great Places to Work awards. Its success is built on quality, consistency, and continuity – not only in grape-growing and winemaking but in the dedicated people who create Cakebread Cellars’ world-class wines.
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