Healdsburg’s Jesse Katz named 2025 Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.
 
Robert Parker 96 Points: “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.”
 
Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “Pouring a deep red/purple color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has the addition of 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 3% Malbec and a splash of Cabernet Franc, all raised in 55% new French oak for 18 months. It’s aromatic of brambly crunchy fruits, with notes of blackberries, resinous herbs, mossy forest earth, and mocha. Full-bodied and light on its feel, with lovely freshness, it offers refined tannins and a good deal of length, with an even spine of acidity to hold up its decadent nature.”
 
Winemaker Notes: “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. Focusing first on the Cabernet fruit from our mineral-rich, volcanic soil sites nestled on the hillside slopes in the Alexander Valley. This vintage’s blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot ,5% Merlot , 3% Malbec , 1% Cabernet Francis uniquely crafted with delicate inclusions of Petit Verdot and Merlot, and a hint of Malbec and Cabernet Franc showcasing intense black fruits enriched with lengthy velvety tannins. “
 
The Aperture Chenin Blanc has earned the highest Wine Enthusiast rating for the varietal in the history of California. Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2024, #71.
In 2021, his work with Devil Proof's Farrow Ranch vineyard led him to joining the elite group of winemakers, receiving 100 points from both Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck.
 
Jesse Katz is a winemaking sensation renowned for becoming the youngest head winemaker at Lancaster Estate in the U.S. in 2010. Jesse’s journey from prodigy to powerhouse includes garnering nearly a dozen perfect scores and setting a world record with a million-dollar auction bid for his “The Setting 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon” at the 2021 Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Carnivale Du Vin auction in New Orleans.
Jesse Katz developed a passion for wine at an early age, sparked by globetrotting with his father, renowned photographer Andy Katz, to explore wineries and vineyards around the world.
Jesse honed his craft after earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology from Fresno State. He gained invaluable experience at some of the world’s premier wineries, including Pétrus in Bordeaux, Screaming Eagle and Robert Foley Wineries in Napa Valley, and Viña Cobos (Paul Hobbs) and Bodega Noemia in Argentina.
Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, Wine Spectator Rising Star, and was the first winemaker to land on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. He made wine for the Timberlake-Biel wedding, and shattered records when a six-liter bottle of his 2019 Cabernet sold at an auction for a million dollars.
Aperture Cellars is a small-batch wine producer in Healdsburg of Sonoma County, California. It was founded by winemaker Jesse Katz in 2009. 
The Bordeaux-style wine portfolio is sourced from various subregions of Sonoma. The Site Series is a collection of terroir-driven wines from different vineyards throughout Alexander Valley. The soil series includes Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon wines crafted according to the soil type. The top range is a duo of red blends produced from the estate vineyard in Healdsburg. 
Wine labels feature imagery by Katz's photographer father, Andy Katz, Aperture Cellars is derived from the aperture of a camera lens.