Notable Wine & Spirits Nonprofit Adds Accomplished Founder of Healdsburg’s Aperture Cellars
Napa, CA, June 3, 2024 – SommFoundation, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education and professional development opportunities for the wine and spirits industry, is proud to announce that Jesse Katz, Founder/CEO and Head Winemaker of Aperture Cellars, has joined its Board of Directors. The new appointment provides the group with further visibility, expert counsel, and other resources to expand its reach and impact.
“Jesse Katz will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to SommFoundation through our shared values of vision, transparency, and philanthropy,” notes Thomas Price, MS, SommFoundation Board Chair and Master Sommelier at 1856 Restaurant of Auburn University. “We are both thrilled and humbled to have such an ally in our mission to further education in the wine industry.”
SommFoundation is one of the leading entities fostering an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a wine and spirits industry that is often difficult to navigate. Founded initially in 2003, the organization is the fiscal agent for both the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum and Wine Country Women, and has awarded 1,165 scholarships and sent 1,465 people on enrichment trips around the world to study wine. With Katz’s appointment, SommFoundation will be able to leverage his passion and diverse network to further evolve the organization’s operations and growth.
Katz’s journey in the wine world began during his youth, when work trips to iconic regions like Bordeaux and Tuscany with his photographer father generated an indelible interest in the industry. His passion led him to pursue a career in winemaking—eventually leading to the founding of Aperture Cellars in 2009 in Healdsburg, California. Katz has since become a widely respected figure in the industry, known for his innovative approach with Bordeaux varietals in Sonoma and Napa which has earned him superlative recognition from critics and consumers alike.
“Having both grown up in Boulder, Colorado, getting to work with Jesse at SommFoundation evokes the full-circle nature of the wine business,” said Emily Gold, Director of Operations at SommFoundation. “It’s been exciting to see his success over the years, and now he is stepping in at a time when this industry needs more support than ever.”
To learn more about SommFoundation’s mission or to donate to their cause, visit sommfoundation.com or follow them on Instagram @sommfoundation.
About SommFoundation
SommFoundation is a 501(c)(3) education-based nonprofit with the mission to assist in the education and professional development of people working in the wine and spirits business. The organization awards over $100,000 in scholarships and sends over 120 beverage professionals on enrichment trips annually, with a special focus on expanding the reach of beverage education to individuals who would not otherwise have access or funding for their education and career growth.
About Aperture Cellars
Aperture Cellars champions a range of stunning Bordeaux-style wines from Sonoma. Founded in 2009 by winemaker Jesse Katz, Aperture wines are crafted from unique, cool-climate vineyards in Sonoma’s top regions for Bordeaux varietals. Aperture controls 140+ acres of vineyards, in addition to their 32 planted acres on the estate site, specifically sourced for their unique terroir and soil composition. Wanting to craft wines on par with the quality and refinement that are so integral to a Bordeaux but with the richness and beauty that the best of California has to offer, Jesse set roots in Sonoma, believing it offers the best of both worlds: new world fruit and old-world elegance.
