Today we share one of the truly great houses in Sonoma. Whether it is their impeccable attention to detail in the bottle or their incredibly chic and modern tasting facility, Aperture is a must-visit for anyone serious about California wine. Tasting with the winemaking team of Jesse Katz and Hillary Sjolund, I was amazed with the range of wines that they create. Katz has worked winemaking jobs spanning the globe including harvests at Pétrus in Bordeaux, as well as time on the winemaking teams at Screaming Eagle Winery and Robert Foley Winery in Napa Valley, and Viña Cobos and Bodega Noemia in Argentina. He was named head winemaker at Lancaster in 2010. Wine Enthusiast named Jesse one of its 40 Under 40 Tastemakers and he was also the first winemaker on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Katz and Sojlund are the makers of Devil Proof (https://www.devilproofvineyards.com/) — the finest Malbec in North America.
The new wines I tasted were part of their ‘Collage’ collection, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon (https://aperture-cellars.com/collage/) which come from the five AVAs in Sonoma. They are barrel selection blends that are absolutely mesmerizing. Do not miss out on the 2021 Aperture ‘Collage’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) which is inky and dense with a terrific acid backbone and seamless texture. Learn more at https://aperture-cellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Aperture ‘Collage’ wines.
2022 Aperture ‘Collage’ Sauvignon Blanc- An ethereal wine that fully deserves its spot on the high table of North American Sauvignon Blanc, the 2022 ‘Collage’ has incredible power, viscosity and flavor density coming from this highly challenging vintage for white wines. Dense mango and passion fruit flavors give this plenty of exotic appeal, as this shows sensational weight and length on the mid-palate, with kiwi and light nutty accents rounding out this beautiful wine. This is quite simply impossible to resist in its heady youth and will surely live on for another decade or more. Bravo! Drink 2025-2035- 97
2021 Aperture ‘Collage’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Collage’ is a barrel selection Cabernet Sauvignon that was sourced from five separate AVAs within the Aperture portfolio. A small amount of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc was blended in, as the wine was stored for 24 months in 80% new French oak, as well as six months in concrete before bottling. This is a seamless bottling, with gorgeous flavor density. Creme de violette and tar notes collide with shades of smoky minerals, espresso bean and dark chocolate shavings with a graphite edge on the palate. For being so complex, it is exceedingly decadent and delicious to drink in its full-throttle youth. Drink 2025-2050- 100