Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 2024
(Sonoma County, California) - [DM 94] [JS 94] [WS 93] [WE 93]

About the Winery:
Founded in 2009 by first-generation winemaker Jesse Katz, Aperture was born from a desire to craft California wines with the elegance and structure of the best Bordeaux estates. Katz—who previously worked at legendary estates like Pétrus and Screaming Eagle—focuses on cool-climate, high-elevation vineyards that bring out vibrant acidity and silky, refined tannins.

Aperture Cellars is so-named because the company is a collaboration with his father, Andy Katz, a professional photographer (an “aperture” is the opening in a lens through which light passes into a camera; it’s Andy’s photography on all the labels.) At Aperture, the wines shed light on what Bordeaux varieties in the cooler pockets of Sonoma are capable of. Warm, sunny days and brisk nights ensure that every bottle bursts with freshness, no matter how generous the fruit. None other than Wine Spectator has described our wines as “plump, intense and juicy” while remaining “clean and complex.”

Notes from the Winemaker:
The 2024 sauvignon blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience at Haut Brion in Bordeaux. Our unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.

VINEYARD
We harvest grapes from three vineyards for this wine. Our estate sémillon and sauvignon musqué in Russian River Valley, sauvignon blanc from Dry Stack Vineyard in Bennett Valley, and sauvignon blanc from our estate property, Farrow Ranch in Alexander Valley.

APPELLATION
Sonoma County

VARIETALS
90% Sauvignon Blanc
10% Sémillon

BARREL PROGRAM
Aged 6 Months
30% new French oak
30% once used French oak
25% neutral French oak
15% cement tank

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - James Suckling:
"A barrel-fermented, medium-bodied wine with aromas of wet stones, ocean breezes, sliced apples and Meyer lemons. Juicy and fresh with really nice acidity, texture and a long finish. Drink or hold." (May 2026)

94 Points - Decanter:
"A textural, almost architectural Sauvignon Blanc that showcases Aperture's detailed barrel program, more nuanced than most in the Valley, through a range of cooperages and toast levels used for fermentation and ageing. Sourced from multiple vineyard blocks with particular focus on the Sauvignon Musqué clone and a Sémillon clone from Château d'Yquem, both planted at the back of the estate in 2019, this wine leans confidently into texture and depth. Aromas of freshly ripened tropical fruit and grilled stone fruit meet a citrus edge that keeps the wine lifted. The palate is plush but focused, layering a delicate, creamy, leesy texture reminiscent of crème de papaya, with firm acid that brings length and tension. A white with a confident presence. Drinking Window: 2025-2035." -Ana Carolina Quintela (Apr 2025)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A stylish version, with a savory thread running through the dense and crisp flavors of Meyer lemon, ruby grapefruit and Honeycrisp apple. Lanolin, beeswax and toasted green tea notes linger, along with whiffs of honeysuckle and fennel pollen. Drink now through 2037." -MaryAnn Worobiec (Dec 2025)

93 Points + Cellar Selection - Wine Enthusiast:
"Enchanting spice, pithy Meyer lemon, and loads of white flowers drive the nose of this intense and satisfying Sauvignon Blanc. The palate delivers loads of concentration and lightning rod acidity, with flavors of lime peel, ginger, melon and citrus blossoms that bounce and rebound through the finish. Rest this for a few years in the cellar." -Tom R. Capo (Nov 2025)