A Place's Narrative Narrated by Way of a Glass with Aperture's 2022 Site Series

Some tales start with words. Others start with the earth.

Among the vineyards of Sonoma County's sun-kissed fields, where Pacific fog rolls in and hills rise like quiet sentinels of the vine, a new chapter in winemaking is being written. A chapter of earth of climate and of four remarkable wines. It is the 2022 Site Series by Aperture a story of place of precision and of passion that asks you to experience wine as it was meant to be.

A Love of Place Transforms into a Vision

For winemaker Jesse Katz, it began years ago before the first grapes were ever harvested. It began with a question what if every vineyard could speak for itself? What if wine could say something beyond the vintage but convey the very essence of a single place?

With that question, came the vision for the Site Series. Rather than blending fruit from regions, Jesse separated some vineyards within Sonoma County, each with its own personality, its own rhythm and its own voice. He wanted to bottle the magic of those microclimates, the specific minerality of a slope, the tension of a sea breeze and bottle it.

The outcome is a portfolio that is, in effect, a love letter to terroir. One vineyard. One wine. One story at a time.

A Tasting Experience Like No Other

Envision four wines, all perfectly crafted, all from the same area yet each and every one of them unique. That is the alchemy of the Site Series.

The 2022 collection features:

Del Rio Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Gravel soils and excellent drainage characterize this Cabernet, which is robust with elegance. Blackberry and graphite aromas are built with structure and depth.

Oliver Ranch Merlot  From a cool hillside vineyard, this Merlot is refined and expressive. Plum, dark cocoa, and dried herbs are wrapped in silken texture.

Farrell Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic soil and high elevation provide intensity and precision. Dark cherry, slate, and violet persist with a long, refined finish.

SJ Ranch Proprietary Red  A beautiful combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec with red currant, espresso, and warm spice unfolding with each swirl.

They are each a terroir masterclass, a seminar in the ways in which place can imprint character. To taste them side by side is to journey geography, geology, and the vineyard's soul.

The Land as the Main Character

In the Site Series, the vineyard is the star. Jesse Katz tends to each vineyard as a character to be interpreted, not controlled. He strolls the rows, listens to the pulse of the vines and learns to hear the rhythm of the land.

And this terroir is remarkable. From the volcanic soils of the Mayacamas to the alluvial gravel beds of the Russian River, these vineyard sites were selected not for quantity but for voice. They speak purity and tension, richness and restraint all honed by Sonoma's multifaceted topography.

It is here that nature takes the lead. Jesse simply listens, then translates.

Sustainability in Every Sip

Craft counts. So does conscience.

Aperture's dedication to sustainability ensures these wines are not just luxurious but responsible. Soil health, biodiversity, and low-impact agriculture are the first concerns of vineyard practices so that the story of these terroirs will be told for generations.

Luxury, that is, isn't so much about what's in the bottle but how the bottle itself was made.

An Estate That Brings the Vision to Life

In order to really grasp the Site Series, you need to go back to the source. At Healdsburg's Aperture Estate, guests are invited into a contemporary haven of wine and style. The estate embodies the same principles embodied by the wines thoughtfulness, refinement and an effortless integration of innovation and tradition.

Here, visitors are able to experience the Site Series in its native habitat, among the very vines that nurtured it. It is where one slows down, one savors and one relishes wine as a testament to land and heritage.

The Winemaker of the Moment

Jesse Katz is no stranger to awards. One of the most acclaimed winemakers of his time, he has redefined contemporary California wine with an eye for detail and a bold respect for terroir. Still, even with all his success, his style remains intensely personal.

With Site Series, Jesse invites you not into a brand, but into a dialogue a dialogue between earth and craft, between nature and subtlety. An invitation to taste wine not as beverage, but as destination.

The Ideal Companion to Any Fancy Cellar

These are not wines for the masses. They are esoteric, handcrafted, and deeply expressive. Whether you have years of wine collecting experience, or you're a collector eager to taste something new, the Site Series offers the special opportunity to taste the ground as it truly is.

Every bottle has a story. And when you open it, that story is yours.

How to Experience the Site Series

The 2022 Site Series is now released as part of Aperture's 2025 Spring Release and is being poured at their Healdsburg estate. Early buy is recommended because of limited production and high demand.

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