Aperture Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2022

Jesse Katz is unquestionably a winemaker on a roll, and this newest 96 point Cabernet Sauvignon from his own Aperture Cellars proves he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. Under $75 Cali-Cabs, with 96 points from the International Wine Report, plus this sort of pedigree and rockstar winemaking, don’t stick around for long – especially with such limited numbers! Grab yours while it lasts!

Jesse Katz took to wine at a young age and wasted no time building a resume of experience that few could match. With over twenty harvests under his belt, including stints at Chateau Petrus, Haut Brion, Screaming Eagle, Viña Cobos, and more – Jesse has developed a style that is pure luxury and class – and brought his talents to focus on Sonoma, where untapped vineyards with unlimited potential have become his new playground.

Aperture Cellars joins Jesse’s winemaking skills with his father Andy’s photographic artistry – creating a new perspective for California wine in the process. With an estate vineyard in Healdsburg, plus six other vineyard sites in Sonoma and Napa – Aperture’s focus is on cooler climate expressions of Bordeaux varietals.

This 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon hails predominantly from the red volcanic soils on the hillsides of Alexander Valley, where a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 1% Merlot was selected. Aged for 18 months in 55% new French oak barrels, this stylish and lush style wine pays a careful homage to Napa, and Bordeaux, while still retaining a sense of self that is quintessentially Sonoma.

Impenetrably dark, luscious, and earthy aromas escape the glass, ranking from black cherry compote, to black currants, with molten volcanic rock, and old-fashioned cola doused with blueberry syrup. It's hedonistic, layered, and exceptionally complex -- with intermittent flourishes of roasted herbs, and exotic spices covering the gamut of rosemary, star anise, allspice, and clove, with a lingering note of dark chocolate-dipped orange peel. The concentration here is intense, but a lively vein of minerality and fresh acidity keeps this all in pristine balance. The grip on the finish is certainly immense and seemingly never-ending, and this wonderful bottling has all the makings of a Cabernet with a long and gorgeous life ahead of it! Exciting stuff, to be certain, and a unique opportunity to snag some of these small production wines at a coveted price!

PAIRING IDEAS: For me, this is a perfect match with the savory yet fresh sensibilities of a proper beef tartare. Hand-cut cubes of grass-fed steak, lean but not too lean, with an array of flavors – shallots, Dijon, olive oil, plus a dash of Worcestershire and plenty of cracked black pepper and flaky sea salt – it’s just too good!