Young veteran winemaker Jesse Katz, producer of Sonoma County Bordeaux-style wines under his Aperture Cellars brand since 2009, is about to take a huge step into his future.  He recently acquired the old Ponzo vineyard site on Old Redwood Highway in Healdsburg and is molding it into the new Aperture Estate.

The seeds for Jesse’s passion for wine were planted at an early age as he traveled through eighty countries with his father, photographer Andy Katz, including many wine regions in France and Italy.  Over the past 17 harvests, he has honed his skills in Bordeaux, Argentina and at noted Napa Valley wineries like Screaming Eagle and Robert Foley.

Nearly a decade ago, Jesse’s appointment as head winemaker at Lancaster Estate made him the country’s youngest.  Maturity came quickly as one of his releases was included among the Wine Spectator magazine Top 100 Wines of 2013.

Known as a winemaker to the stars, Katz has consulted with celebrities like Justin Timberlake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk and NFL star Von Miller.  Of note, he and film agent Shep Gordon collaborated to create 2015 The Setting Wines Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that sold for $350,000 at a charity auction.

The new forty acre Aperture Estate consists of a new state-of-the-art production facility, thirty-two acres under vine and, in May 2020, it will add a modern and well-appointed hospitality center designed to enhance the experience that culminates in the glass. With 3,500 square feet of indoor space that expands to 6,500 square feet when opened up to the patio, guests will be exposed to the surrounding vineyards and choose between several appointment-only options such as private group tastings or a VIP experience with food pairings.

The new buildings were designed by Signum Architecture who, among others, created the designs for Odette, Cade and Hall wineries.  The production facility has an impressive contemporary exterior design that compliments the landscape.  The interior, with rusted galvanized steel paneling is equally imposing, but, for Jesse, it’s about form following function.

There, he has all the best toys for success including a crush pad, a Weco optimal sorter, a cold room, four barrel rooms and  27 fully automated fermentation tanks. Future lab work will be done in-house and, beginning with the 2019 harvest, all Aperture wine production will happen under this roof.

The new estate came with ten acres of old-vine zinfandel and, on the remaining property, Jesse has planted merlot clones from Château Pétrus and semillon clones from d’Yquem, noted producer of “botrytized” wines from Sauternes.  Clearly, Bordeaux has a presence in nearly all Aperture releases.

Outside of the estate property, Aperture controls 140 acres, spread over seven separate vineyards in Sonoma, Napa and Yolo counties.  The three single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon as well as the Bordeaux blend are sourced from the Alexander Valley, a region where rich soils, in Jesse’s opinion, produce “new world fruit and old world elegance.”

The root of all this activity and excitement is the wine and we began a tasting with the 2018 Aperture Barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc ($30), sourced from old vines in Clarksburg, near the Delta, fifteen miles south of Sacramento.  Declared “America’s best dry chenin blanc” by Wilfred Wong (wine.com), it is non-filtered with no new oak and has a distinctively rich mouthfeel with flavors of ripe pear and the stone fruits.

From Sonoma County’s newest appellation (AVA), the 2018 Aperture Barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc $40, with two-percent semillon, is sourced from the Dry Stack Vineyard in Bennett Valley near Santa Rosa.  Jesse admitted that he returned from Bordeaux with a greater appreciation of the whites and this release deserves ours.

From the clay loam soils in the Alexander Valley, the 2016 Aperture Bordeaux Red Blend ($55), a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and cabernet franc, is aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak.  Although cabernet sauvignon dominates the flavor, the floral and spice hints come from the cabernet franc.

There are three single vineyard releases from the Oliver Ranch, SJ and Del Rio vineyards, each representing unique terroir within the Alexander Valley.  However, I was most intrigued by the 2017 Devil Proof Rockpile Ridge Malbec ($150) from south facing vines above Lake Sonoma. Heat spikes during 2017 created challenges, but the result was the  highly concentrated flavors that led Robert Parker, Jr, the Wine Advocate to state, “This may be the finest Malbec I have ever tasted from California.”

Dignified wines from Jesse and extraordinary label photos from Andy, a world-class pairing that is about to enrich the Sonoma County wine experience.  Check them out.

With the arrival of summer, rose’ and sparkling wines naturally come to mind.  The choices are numerous under the headings of Champagne, prosecco, cava, German sekt or North American sparkling wines. For something different, readily available and reasonably priced, Cremant d’ Alsace wines are worth exploring for summer entertaining.

The Alsace region lies in northeastern France and borders both Germany and Switzerland.  The Cremant d’ Alsace Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC)is one of three earmarked in the region and was designated in 1976 for the production of sparkling wines. 

The French term “Crémant” is used to define sparkling wines made in the traditional method, but outside of Champagne.  The méthode Champenoise or traditional method requires that the second fermentation, which creates the bubbles, must occur in the bottle.  This is followed by a minimum nine months aging on lees, bringing about a richer mouthfeel.

While Champagne is restricted to using only Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, the crisp and dry Crémant d’Alsace wines are mostly from Pinot Blanc, produced as a single-varietal or blended with auxerrois blanc, pinot gris, riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir.  Auxerrois blanc is grown extensively in the Alsace region and is described as a “full sibling” of chardonnay. 

The Crémant d’Alsace Rosé must use 100% pinot noir, grapes, inviting comparisons with a recent surge in production of rose’ of pinot noir in California. 

I recently tasted some sparkling wines and rose’ from Crémant d’Alsace that illustrated a variety of styles, from classic blanc de blancs, featuring pinot blanc, to vibrant rose’ of pinot noir and bold, dry 

zero-dosage releases.

The Lorentz family, for over 160 years, has been producing some of the most widely distributed wine from the region, available in over fifty countries. Comprised exclusively from pinot noir grapes, the Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rose’ ($25), after dosage and aging on lees, is fresh, crisp and offers variety of subtle fruit nuances to the palate. Other Gustave Lorentz wines are readily available in local outlets and online.

Domaine Alfred Mann, guided by biodynamic farming with best organic practices, has a reputation for maintaining low yield grapes that result in a maturity and richness to their wines. The Alfred Mann Crémant d’Alsace Extra Dry Brut 2016 ($24), a blend of pinot blanc, auxerrois blanc and pinot noir from mature vines is bone dry and acidic while exuding conspicuous fruit aromas and flavors within a rich texture.

Centuries old, the Domaine Valentin Zusslin is now run by two generations of the family and converted in 1996 to bio-dynamic viticulture.  The Zusslin Crémant d’Alsace Brut Zero Sans Souffre ($25) is produced without sulphur or any added sweetness through dosage.

I found a unique bouquet of citrus and toast followed by a vibrant acidity with soft citrus notes. It would pair well and enhance shellfish and seafood dishes.

A well-reviewed sparkling rose’ that is priced below $20, the Allimant Laugner Cremant d’Alsace Rosé ($18) offered the most expressive aromas and intense fruit flavors of any of the wines.  Tart with strong strawberry hints, critic Jancis Robinson, in describing the wine, said it was “Not remotely complex but there is so much delicious fruit in there that who cares?”

Another bone dry wine with no added dosage, the 

Dirler-Cadé 2015 Brut Nature Sparkling Crémant d’Alsace ($22), a blend of pinot noir, pinot gris and auxerrois, offers more balance of acidity and richness and would serve as a delightful aperitif.

With reviews in the mid-nineties, the Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose ($24) expressed ripe apple notes on the nose and palate and delivered both a crispy and creamy mouthfeel. The producers feel it could continue to develop for another decade.

Another good value is the brightly salmon-colored Pierre Sparr Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose NV ($20) with complex aromas and flavors of citrus, strawberry and spice.  It also delivers a nice minerality on the finish.

Besides Crémant d’Alsace sparkling wines, there also are Crémant de Loire (Loire Valley) that feature chenin blanc grapes, Crémant de Bourgogne (Burgundy) with chardonnay and pinot noir and even Crémant de Bordeaux, based from cabernet franc and other local varietals.  However, there is enough diversity of style within Crémant d’Alsace releases that make them very competitive based on quality, accessibility and affordability comparisons.

Bordeaux, in southern France, is one of, if not the world’s most famous wine region, steeped in long-standing excellence and tradition through closely controlled grape varietals and farming techniques for each appellation that have been in place for over eighty years. 

As far as I can remember, the iconic Bordeaux red blends have been either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot dominant, supported by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère.

Two experimental plots named VitAdap and GreffAdapt, have been established to study the impacts of climate change on proposed and current varietals including the effects of water stress.

Malbec has been the grape most challenged by climate change and its use in the region has diminished significantly while Petit Verdot is experiencing a resurgence and plantings have increased nearly two-hundred percent

Two-thirds of the red vines planted in Bordeaux are merlot that for centuries has benefited from the local climate to reach peak ripeness.  Although still the premier Bordeaux red varietal, merlot is being scrutinized as a potential future victim of rising temperatures.

The current white varietals are dominated by Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with support from lesser known grapes like Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Merlot Blanc and Mauzac.

In the past months, Bordeaux has garnered worldwide attention from a recent report outlining a series of actions taken to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change.  Since research on the impacts of climatology was first conducted in 2003 by the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), it has  been a major focus in future planning, specifically the changes in climate, its impact to oneology and the use of plant material(varietal selection).  The Council has spent nearly €2 million over the past decade on environmental research.

Recently the Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur winemakers approved new “grape varieties of interest” as part of a continuing plan to adapt to the impacts of climate.  The list includes varietals new to the region as well as some nearly forgotten and now making a comeback.  The new experimental “grapes of interest” are mostly late-ripening to better assimilate with the established harvest framework, less susceptible to rot and intended to satisfy aromatic losses due to hotter weather. 

Among the red varietals to be approved for planting include Arinarnoa, a cross between Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional, a popular red grape from the Douro Valley in Portugal, used in their fine ports and still wine blends.  Also included are Marselan, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache (sounds delicious)and the long-forgotten Bordeaux varietal, Castets, both known for their resistance to rot and suitability for aging.

The newly approved white “grapes of interest” include Alvarinho, another Portuguese varietal that has gained popularity in the United States, Liliorita, a cross between baroque and chardonnay and the late-ripening Petit Manseng, all highly aromatic.

These changes are subject to approval by the Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (INAO),a French organization charged with regulating agricultural products, and come with conditions.  The “grapes of interest” must be listed as secondary and be limited to five percent of the planted vineyard area. They cannot exceed ten percent of the final blend and their use is only authorized for a ten year period subject to one renewal.

In addition to their research on climate change and sustainability, the Bordeaux wine industry set out for the first time, a decade ago, to assess its carbon footprint that was determined to be 840,000 tons CO2 equivalent, stemming mostly from materials and products, freight and energy.  As a result, they committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the development of the Climate Plan 2020, a roadmap that was shared with the entire wine industry.  The plan set goals of twenty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, twenty percent reduction in energy use, a twenty percent increase in renewable energy and a twenty percent decrease in water use.

A follow-up assessment in 2013 revealed a nine percent decrease in the wine trade’s carbon footprint within five years.

The real story here is that climate change represents multiple challenges for the agricultural industry and when a premier wine growing region begins to reassess engrained traditional practices, people pay attention.  Clearly, Bordeaux’s long-term plan will be implemented methodically with strategies designed to maintain their position as an elder statesman and global giant.  However, they must be credited for providing the insight and leadership that will benefit everyone.