96pts Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Blended with 16% Sémillon and was matured mostly in 33% new French oak 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.

96pts International Wine Report

Checking in with 18% Semillon, which is a lot higher than the previous vintage, the 2022 Aperture Sauvignon Blanc is aged for 6 months in 33% new French oak barrels, 30% once-used French oak, 25% neutral French oak, and 12% cement tank. Made in the Bordeaux style of white wine, the lovely oak and baking spice notes linger on the nose alongside cinnamon-coated white stone fruits, gooseberries, sweet cinnamon toast, honeysuckle, toasted anise, crushed volcanic rock, and white tea. Impeccably balanced between the racy acidity, the medium-bodied mouthfeel, and the minute-long finish. One of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had from the United States. Highly recommended.

93pts Decanter

As part of Aperture's Soil Series, winemaker Jesse Katz looks for specific expressions of soil types in the wine. The blend of barrel fermentation and Sémillon makes this rich, creamy Bordeaux-style take on California Sauvignon Blanc a winner—aromas of nutmeg and honey from the understated oak accent elements of baked apple and stone. The body is rich, with honeyed pear flavours, beeswax, savoury thyme and grilled peaches. This is a wonderful wine that balances body with a brilliant finish.

Winemaker Notes

The 2022 sauvignon blanc incorporates our estate-grown sémillion and sauvignon musqué, that we planted on the Aperture property in 2019. These two estate blocks were hand-harvested in early Stepember 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.The 2022 sauvignon blanc was originally inspired by winemaker Jesse Katz’s experience at Haut Brion in Bordeaux. Our unique barrel program provides the wine with a distinct complexity and a subtle weight on the palate.

Blend : 84% Sauvignon Blanc, 16% Sémillon