Aperture Cellars

What Aperture Cellars does

Aperture Cellars is a privately held, founder-owned winery based in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California, producing limited-quantity Bordeaux-style wines from cool-climate Sonoma County sites including Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, and Clarksburg. The portfolio is organized into the Soil Series (soil-specific blends), Site Series (single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons from Oliver Ranch, Del Rio, and SJ Ranch), Estate Series (estate Farrow Ranch wines), Collectables, the Proterra blend, and the luxury Collage sub-brand, with grape sourcing and vineyard design overseen alongside viticulturist Phil Freese. Production is intentionally small-batch and frequently sells out on release, with wines receiving 100-point scores from International Wine Report, Jeb Dunnuck, and Owen Bargreen, and a Wine Spectator Top 100 selection in 2024.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model spanning e-commerce, the Wine Collective membership (6, 12, or 24 bottle tiers with two annual shipments), estate tasting experiences at the gallery-inspired Healdsburg hospitality lounge, and a calendar of curated events at the estate and select destinations such as Motorlux and Taste of Rancho Santa Fe. Revenue is supplemented by a gifting program with curated sets up to $1,275, custom corporate gifting with personalized labels, and a wholesale/trade channel. In 2025 the company launched the Collage Collection as a new luxury sub-brand and entered a flagship partnership with Montage International to produce the Montage Estate wine line, extending its reach into the luxury hospitality vertical. The company is led by winemaker Jesse Katz and photographer Andy Katz, with no disclosed institutional funding or ownership changes.

Name

Aperture Cellars

Legal name

Aperture Cellars

Website

https://aperture-cellars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Winery / Fine Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Bordeaux-style wines
• Premium winery
• Wine club membership
• Estate tasting experiences
• Wine gifting

Headquarters

HQ city

Healdsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: E-commerce sales of wines directly to consumers through the company website. Wines are sold in limited quantities with prices ranging from $35 for Chenin Blanc to $375 for Proterra (1.5L), with single bottles and gift sets available.
2. Wine Club Membership: Wine Collective membership providing two shipments per year with 6, 12, or 24 bottle options. Members receive release pricing, guaranteed allocations, complimentary tastings, and access to library wines and special releases.
3. Estate Tastings and Experiences: Paid tasting experiences at the Healdsburg estate including Soil Series, Site Series, Private Lounge, and Collage experiences. Additional experiences include VIP dinners, photography classes, and blending seminars.
4. Wine Gifting: Gift boxes and sets ranging from single bottle gifts ($60-95) to premium vertical library sets ($275-1275), plus custom corporate gifting with personalized labels available in quantities starting at 6 cases.
5. Wholesale and Trade: Trade and wholesale inquiries handled through dedicated wholesale email, with products available through distributors for restaurant and retail partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aperture Cellars produces and sells small-batch Bordeaux-style wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc) from cool-climate Sonoma County vineyards, organized into four core series (Soil, Site, Estate, Collectables) plus the Collage sub-brand. The winery sells these wines through its e-commerce site, the Wine Collective subscription membership, gift sets, and tasting experiences at the gallery-inspired Healdsburg estate.

Product overview

Aperture Cellars is a Sonoma County winery specializing in Bordeaux-style wines, operating as a unified portfolio of wine products rather than a modular platform. The core offering consists of four wine series organized by sourcing: Soil Series (soil-specific blends), Site Series (single-vineyard Cabernets), Estate Series (estate vineyard wines), and Aperture Collectables (exclusive library wines). The Collage Collection represents a luxury artistic sub-brand featuring blends from five Sonoma appellations. The Wine Collective membership provides guaranteed allocations and exclusive access. Bespoke tasting experiences (Soil Series, Site Series, Private Lounge, Collage) are offered at the Healdsburg estate, supplemented by custom experiences including VIP dinners, photography classes, and blending seminars. A gift program offers curated sets and e-gift cards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Collage: A bold new collection of wines celebrating creative expression, bold collaboration, and passion for excellence. Features proprietary red and white blends from the 2023 vintage.

Products and services

• Soil Series wines A collection of Bordeaux-inspired blends and single-origin wines crafted for their specific soil types, sourced from vineyards in Alexander Valley and greater Sonoma County. Includes Chenin Blanc 2025 ($35), Barrel-Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2025 ($50), Bordeaux Red Blend 2023 ($60), and Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 ($75).
• Site Series wines Terroir-driven single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons from premier Sonoma County sites, including Oliver Ranch ($150), SJ Ranch, and Del Rio Vineyards.
• Estate Series wines Single-origin wines from Aperture's estate vineyards, including Farrow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Estate 1912 Blend, and Estate Farrow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Proterra An evolving annual Bordeaux-style blend inspired by Proteus, crafted from Napa Valley hillside Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Sold in 1.5L format at $375.
• Aperture Collectables Exclusive vintage wines from the Aperture library collection, including Wine Spectator Top 100 selections and limited single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons reserved for Wine Collective members and special releases.
• Collage Collection A bold new luxury wine collection celebrating creative expression and collaboration, featuring Proprietary Red and Proprietary White blends from the 2023 vintage sourced from five Sonoma County appellations.
• The Aperture Wine Collective A membership program offering guaranteed wine allocations, release pricing, two customizable shipments per year (spring and fall) of 6, 12, or 24 bottles, complimentary estate tastings, and exclusive access to library wines and events.
• Estate Tasting Experiences Estate experiences including Soil Series Experience, Site Series Experience, Private Lounge Experience, and Collage Experience, hosted at the gallery-inspired tasting room with floor-to-ceiling vineyard views. Each experience is approximately 90 minutes, requires reservation, and is prepaid via Tock.
• Custom Experiences Personalized experiences including VIP Dinner Experience (up to 20 guests), Master Photography Class with Andy Katz and tasting, and Blending Seminar with cellar lunch (up to 12 guests).
• Aperture Gift Series Curated wine gift sets including single bottle gift boxes ($60-95), flagship gift sets ($140), soil series gift boxes ($200), red blend and Oliver Ranch library vertical sets ($275-$675), Collage sets with vinyl ($1,275), and e-gift cards ($50-$1,500). Custom corporate gifting with personalized labels is available starting at 6 cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100-point scores from multiple critics (International Wine Report, Jeb Dunnuck, Owen Bargreen) for Del Rio Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Montage InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025Montage International collaborated with Jesse Katz of Aperture Cellars to launch Montage Estate, a line of exclusive wines harvested from Montage Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. The inaugural release features a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, with further wines planned for spring 2026. The project emphasizes craftsmanship, vineyard design, and recognition for Katz's winemaking achievements. This represents a significant hospitality partnership where Aperture provides winemaking expertise to Montage's on-site vineyard.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Opus One: Bordeaux-style Napa icon mentioned in Aperture's viticulture heritage (Phil Freese helped shape Opus One's vineyards). Competes in the ultra-premium Napa/Sonoma Bordeaux blend category with similar scarcity and prestige positioning.
• Stag's Leap Wine Cellars: Iconic Napa Valley producer of premium Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon blends with a similar small-lot, estate-focused model and DTC tasting room. Comparable as a benchmark for collectible California Bordeaux-style wines at the high end.
• Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery: Boutique, family-owned St. Helena winery producing limited-production estate Cabernet Sauvignon with strong critic scores and a wine club allocation model directly analogous to Aperture's Wine Collective.
• Paul Hobbs Winery: Premium Sonoma-based winery producing terroir-driven, single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay with strong critical reputation. Comparable in single-vineyard philosophy and Russian River/Sonoma focus.
• Screaming Eagle: Cult Napa Valley Cabernet producer where Jesse Katz trained. Direct comparator on cult-status allocation model, scarcity-driven pricing, and 100-point critic scores.

Broad incumbents

• Foley Family Wines: Multi-brand premium wine portfolio including Sonoma and Napa estates with DTC wine clubs and tasting rooms. Comparable as a diversified premium wine operator though at meaningfully larger scale.
• Silver Oak Cellars: Established premium California Cabernet producer with broad distribution, DTC tasting rooms in Napa and Alexander Valley, and a wine club structure. Comparable on Bordeaux-style positioning and DTC model but at significantly larger scale.
• Caymus Vineyards: Iconic Napa Cabernet producer with strong brand recognition and broad distribution. Comparable as a premium California Cabernet benchmark but at much greater scale and broader retail presence than Aperture.

Emerging players

• The Setting Wines: Sister wine projects of Jesse Katz including Devil Proof, Aesthete, Surveyor, The Setting, and Valette. Closely related portfolio brands sharing winemaker and operational infrastructure with Aperture Cellars.

Regional players

• Chimney Rock Winery: Stags Leap District Napa Valley producer of premium Cabernet Sauvignon with tasting experiences and wine club. Comparable as a premium Bordeaux-style California producer with estate hospitality focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ApertureWines
• Facebookfacebook.com/aperturecellars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aperture-cellars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aperture Cellars