2019 Aperture Chenin Blanc
2018 Sonoma County Red Blend
Aperture Chenin Blanc: Jesse Katz, named by the Wine Spectator as a “rising star,” is winemaker and owner of Aperture Cellars. Jesse has been influenced by Bordeaux-styled winemaking as he sets his sights on success making wines from Sonoma County. His winery rests on a 32-acre parcel in Healdsburg, California. The vineyards for this Chenin Blanc were originally planted in the 1940’s in Clarksburg, California. This barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc is a floral Loire Valley look-a-like. The vibrant bouquet of white flowers and honeysuckle pulls you in after the first sip. The wealth of orange and apple blossom fruit is richly crafted but not weighty and impeccably balanced with freshness. Had this style been produced years ago, it would have become the megastar of white varietals. There is a lot of happiness in this bottling.
Aperture Sonoma County Red Blend: This blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 22% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot is sourced from clay-loam hillside vineyards in Alexander Valley. It is overly generous with a ripe red fruit-driven style infused with cassis, sweet baking spices and graphite. This sensuous wine reveals a mid-palate that is lush and velvety. This Right Bank-styled wine is bestowed with a long and memorable finish.