Aperture Bordeaux Red Blend 2021
(Alexander Valley, California) - [WA 95+] [JS 95] [JD 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.

For this vintage, we crafted a distinct Bordeaux blend, composed primarily of merlot and malbec, with almost equal inclusions of cabernet sauvignon, petite verdot, and cabernet franc. The ripe red fruit characters are structured by silky seamless tannins, showcasing an elegant density to the blend.

Technical Information

VINEYARD: This wine is composed of all hillside vineyards which helps to keep berry size down and concentration strong.

APPELLATION
Sonoma County

VARIETALS
44% Merlot
27% Malbec
10% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Petit Verdot
9% Cabernet Franc

BARREL PROGRAM
Aged 18 months
45% new oak
60 and 70 gallon French oak barrels

Ratings & Reviews

95+ Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"The 2021 Bordeaux Red Blend is the first iteration to include a significant amount of fruit from Farrow Ranch, Aperture's latest vineyard acquisition. It's a blend of 44% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 9% Cabernet Franc and was matured for 18 months in 50% new French oak. It has slowly unfurling scents of red and black currants, chocolate-covered cherries, integrated new oak spices, tobacco and tapenade. The palate is particularly elegant, balancing concentrated, nuanced flavors with a frame of velvety tannins and vibrant acidity that calls you back to the glass. 5,270 cases produced. 2028 - 2045." - Erin Brooks (Dec 2023)

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Black currant, black mushroom, baking spices, lavender and dried flowers. Lead pencil. Full-bodied with pretty framing and tension from the French oak and a blend of 44% merlot, 27% malbec, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot, and 9% cabernet franc. Drink or hold." - (Dec 2023)

93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2021 Bordeaux Red Blend was raised in 50% new French oak for 18 months and is 44% Merlot, 27% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. The nose is highly expressive, with lots of primary fruit up front and notes of crushed mixed berries, peppercorn, violets, and mountain herbs. Full-bodied, it’s ripe and plush on the palate, with velvety tannins and notes of cocoa coming through the mid-palate and finish. It has good length, but it’s approachable now. Drink 2024-2034." - Audrey Frick (June 2024)