Aperture Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
(Alexander Valley, California) - [WA 96] [JS 93]

About the Winery:
Aperture Cellars champions a range of expressive Bordeaux style wines from Sonoma County’s premier cool-climate Bordeaux varietal vineyard sites.

Notes from the Winemaker:
All of our fruit is hand harvested and brought into the winery within hours of being picked. Everything is methodically and obsessively sorted. A cold soak of 4-7 days with minimal air incorporation starts the extraction and then cool fermentations with native yeast carry out the remaining. Air and temperature are controlled throughout the 14-28 day fermentation and extended maceration is determined lot by lot when I walk the fine line of full extraction but still keep an elegant and silky texture. Wines go through malolactic fermentation in barrel and are aged (sur-lees) for 18 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, and un-acidified.

Focusing first on the cabernet fruit from our mineral-rich, volcanic soil sites nestled on cooler hillside slopes in the Alexander Valley, this vintage’s blend is uniquely crafted with delicate inclusions of merlot, malbec.

Technical Information

VINEYARD:
Mix of eastern hillsides that are South and South West facing with a bench land block that is mostly dry-farmed. Hillside Cabernet vineyard sites, all with mineral-rich volcanic soils, are always the first focus of this blend.

SOIL (Volcanic):
For our Cabernet, we specifically work with some of the most unique sites throughout Alexander Valley that focus on well drained, volcanic soils. With little organic material, these soils help to control vigor and growth and increase concentration and complexity in the wine. Many of these unique soils are in the Eastern hillsides of the appellation and |display an amazing rich, red color.

APPELLATION
Sonoma County

BLEND
85% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Petit Verdot
5% Merlot
3% Malbec
1% Cabernet Franc

BARREL PROGRAM
Aged 18 months
55% new oak
60 and 70 gallon French oak barrels

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Aperture's estate vineyard in Healdsburg and their newest vineyard acquisition, Farrow Ranch in Alexander Valley, plus some of the original single vineyards in the Aperture program like Oliver Ranch. It is blended with 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc and was matured for 16 months in 55% new French oak. It has vibrant, layered aromas of blueberry compote, lavender, aniseed, milk chocolate and nutmeg with undertones of cast iron and tobacco leaves. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled, pairing deep flavors with a weightless feel due to its bright acidity and velvety tannins. It has a long, latent finish and deserves 3-5 years in bottle. 4,480 cases produced.

I was particularly impressed by the lineup of 2021s from winemaker Jesse Katz and associate winemaker Hillary Sjolund, who craft several brands, including Aperture, Devil Proof, Aesthete, The Setting and Valette. The duo’s skills and attention to detail are apparent across brands and varieties, from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Fine-tuning of extraction, paired with the cooler vintage, resulted in wines that are surprisingly fresh and light on their feet despite their concentrated flavors, and in general, alcohols are down about half a percent. Drink 2030 - 2045.

93 Points - James Suckling:
Ripe berries and cherries with some currant jam as well as a bouquet of fresh flowers. Full-bodied with lots unctuous fruit and layers of tannins that are supple and caressing. Flavorful finish. Fresh, too. For people who want flavor. Drink or hold.

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck (for 2020):
"Inky purple/black-hued, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc. Ripe aromas of black cherry liqueur, eucalyptus, polished leather, and toasted cedar all come together beautifully in the glass. Ripe, pure black fruit fills the palate with notes of preserved black currant, candied violets, sweet tannins, and a pleasing note of espresso on the finish. It is long on the palate, has a good lift, and is clean on the finish. Drink 2025-2045.

Jesse Katz and winemaker Hillary Sjolund are producing some of Sonoma's best examples of Bordeaux-inspired blends today. The wines offer hedonistic pleasure across the range, offering high-octane power balanced with superb elegance, and with their top reds have significant aging potential."