Top California vineyards fuel winemaker Jesse Katz’s unique vintages
In Partnership with APERTURE
The pursuit of balance and the quest for creativity drew Jesse Katz to winemaking, and far-flung travels to vineyards around the world with his father, the photographer Andy Katz, provided an international education. Jesse founded Aperture Cellars to craft Bordeaux-style wines from cool-climate sites — 200 vineyard acres in total — including Healdsburg’s Aperture Estate, which includes a 24,000-square-foot winery alongside a luxury hospitality center with private tasting rooms and an art gallery. For the past 15 years, the winemaker who honed his skills at Pétrus in France and Oakville’s Screaming Eagle, among others, has produced nuanced wines both for Aperture and his second brand, Devil Proof Vineyards, earning multiple 100-point scores. Each bottle includes a wine label with an original photograph shot by Andy, a nod to the variety and complexity of the wines themselves, and to the creativity required to create both art and wine. From flagship blends to the Estate Series, each makes an elegant holiday gift, coupled with a personal note.
While Cabernet Sauvignon is Aperture’s best-known offering, and the first Alexander Valley version to have received a perfect score, there is also a Red Bordeaux Blend, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, as well as single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. The Healdsburg land includes thriving vines first planted in 1912, and Northern California properties also include Alexander Valley, Geyserville, Clarksburg, and Bennett Valley. Signum Architecture designed the modern high-efficiency buildings at Aperture Estate, taking inspiration from the physical aperture of a camera and the natural light of the region, drawing in oenophiles and photography seekers alike as well as those in search of inspiration for new images and single-varietals or blends made from the region’s unique terroir. 12291 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg, 707-200-7891; aperture-cellars.com.
December 11, 2024
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