Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 2021 – 750ml Consortium

96pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is blended with three percent Sémillon and matured for six months in one-third new, once-used and older barrels. Sourced mainly from the Dry Stack Vineyard in Bennett Valley, this latest release includes fruit from the Aperture estate vineyards in Healdsburg. In 2022, even more vines will be dedicated to the Sauvignon Blanc, from newly planted vines in the recently purchased Farrow Ranch in Alexander Valley. In the glass, flinty tones give way to perfumed white peach, tarragon, citrus blossoms, toast and beeswax. The palate is medium-bodied, satiny and expansive with concentrated, flint-laced flavors countered by tangy acidity. Its flavors are anchored by a touch of textural grip that also drives the honeyed finish.

91pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc was 100% barrel fermented and barrel aged and is sourced from the coldest site they work with. A rich perfume of redcurrant, lemon balm, and pink grapefruit is followed by great mid-palate concentration, with an undercurrent of driving citrus through the finish.

Winemaker Notes

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience at Haut Brion in Bordeaux. Their unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate. The 2021 vintage marks the first year incorporating fruit from the Aperture Estate property. This includes our sémillon block, with clones from Château d’Yquem as well as their sauvignon musqué block.

90pts Wine Enthusiast

With 3% Semillon, this white is viscous and oily in texture, with a density of apricot and plum. Rich in undertones of honey and nougat, it balances itself with moderate acidity, the oak playing a prominent part in weight and spice.

Blend: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Sémillon

Winery Description

Never mind the six million album covers around the world that feature Andy Katz’s photographs, or his dozen books of gorgeous photos that grace countless coffee tables around the country, or the many awards on his mantel earned from five decades of work around the world. It was all an excuse. An excuse to drink world class wine. To learn what it takes to make world class wine. And to spend time with his young son Jesse. Andy brought Jesse to the the most famous vineyards on earth, from the heart of Burgundy to the hills of Tuscany. He may not have admitted it at the time, but Andy’s gambit worked. Barely a decade later, Jesse is now one of the most exciting — and accomplished — winemakers in the world, recently gracing the cover of Wine Enthusiast as a rising young star who is doing nothing less than “changing the way the world drinks.” The son of a man who, through his photographs, changes the way the world sees wine. It’s a perfect combination. Jesse supplies the grapes, Andy supplies the images. And together they make wines worthy of their travels. Aperture. World class wines. Katz and Katz. A world class pairing.