Winemaker Notes
The Aperture Sauvignon Blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience at Haut Brion in Bordeaux. The winery’s unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc incorporates estate-grown Sémillion and Sauvignon Musqué planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early September at the same time as the Sauvignon Blanc from Farrow Ranch in Geyserville. The Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Stack Vineyard in the Bennett Valley AVA was brought to the winery in early October, consistent with this vineyard's unique late-ripening characteristics.
Blend: 84% Sauvignon Blanc 16% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is blended with 16% Sémillon and was matured mostly in French oak (33% new) plus a smaller portion of cement tank. It's the first vintage where so much Sémillon has been included—since acquiring Farrow Ranch in 2021, winemaker Jesse Katz has been able to add some of that site's fruit into his Aperture wines. It has alluring tones of white peach, kumquat, meringue and crème brûlée on the nose, plus wafts of floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate offers expansive flavors that segue from candied citrus to guava and vanilla pots de crème. It has a luxuriously satiny texture balanced by focused acidity and a very long, flavorful finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pale straw with green highlights, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is savory and floral with aromatics of fresh herbs, grapefruit rind, beeswax, and soft floral notes as well as delicate oak spice. Medium-bodied, it has an elegant, supple texture, ripe notes of quince, wet stones, and preserved citrus, and lifted saline. This is an exquisite wine to drink over the next 5-6 years.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
With boundaries overlapping the Sonoma Coast AVA and Sonoma Mountain AVA, Bennett Valley benefits from the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean just like its neighbors. Top grapes planted include Barbera, Pinot noir and Chardonnay, as well as Bordeaux and Rhone varieties.