Aperture Cellars

Aperture Cabernet Sauvignon

US, California

2023

Made from cabernet grown on mineral-rich volcanic soils on hillside slopes in the Alexander Valley, Aperture Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 includes a dash of malbec and merlot for added freshness and plush black fruit. Rich, ripe and concentrated with firm, velvety tannins, this is a wine made for red meat.

Aperture Cellars, founded by winemaker Jesse Katz, fuses Burgundian and Bordeaux sensibilities with Sonoma terroir. Working primarily with cool‑climate sites across Alexander Valley and the Russian River Valley, Katz focuses on high‑density plantings, precise canopy work, and clonal diversity to build layered fruit profiles.

The cabernet programme centres on volcanic and clay‑loam parcels, fermented in small tanks with extended maceration to refine tannins. Whole‑cluster trials, micro‑lot vinification, and rigorous barrel selection are integral to the house's style. Aperture's wines are known for purity of fruit, finely tuned structure and site transparency, reflecting Katz's technical precision and his background working with top estates including Screaming Eagle and Pétrus.

Tasting
NOTES

Ripe black fruit is the order of the day on this powerful California cabernet, which kicks off with notes of black cherry, mulberry, plum, black current and wild blackberry on the nose. There's a touch of tobacco and roasted coffee on the nose too, which is echoed on the palate. Rich and concentrated, with firm tannins and plush forest fruit flavours, sweet spices such as clove and vanilla come through from the oak.

Food
PAIRINGS

This punchy California cabernet will shine with red meat. Try it with a ribeye steak, hare à la royale, or a roasted deer loin with a huntsman's sauce.