Periwinkle Foundation’s Iron Sommelier judge and presenter, Jesse Katz named Wine Enthusiast’s 2025 Winemaker of the Year

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Periwinkle Foundation’s Iron Sommelier premier wine event will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston

Jesse Katz, judge and presenter at the Periwinkle Foundation’s Iron Sommelier premier wine event on Nov. 20, has just been named Wine Enthusiast’s 2025 Winemaker of the Year, presented at the Wine Star Awards Gala in New York City. Katz is the founder and visionary behind Aperture Cellars in the Sonoma Valley area in Healdsburg, California.

This distinction is among the most prestigious accolades in the global wine industry, recognizing individuals who demonstrate visionary leadership, innovation, and influence across both consumer and trade markets.

Katz has, in a remarkably short period, made himself one of the most respected wine professionals in California. He was the first winemaker ever to be included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, a Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker, and had been named a Wine Spectator “Rising Star.”

“The Periwinkle Foundation extends its warmest congratulations to Jesse Katz on this incredible honor, one of the highest in the wine industry,” says Doug Suggitt, Executive Director of The Periwinkle Foundation. “We are honored that Jesse will participate in our 2025 Iron Sommelier competition on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Post Oak Hotel, serving as both a judge and a presenter. Jesse will bring added star power to our prestigious wine event, a major fundraiser for our organization, which provides programming for pediatric cancer patients at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers.”

Houston’s top sommeliers competing in the 2025 competition include:

  • 13 Celsius Wine Bar
    Harold Houpt
  • AOC Selections & The Texas Wine School
    Kelly Rau
  • Brennan’s Houston
    Marcus Gausepohl
  • Camerata
    Arlon Scott Crosthwait
  • The Coronado Club
    John Mason
  • 55 Seventy
    Jeff Gregory
  • Guard and Grace
    Matthew McLaughlin
  • The Library Wine Bar
    Brennan Harmeier
  • The Marigold Club
    Coleman Mason
  • Mastros Steakhouse
    Meg Van Til
  • Padres Wine Company
    Travis Walker
  • Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
    Zachary Newman
  • Vinology Bottle Shop + Tasting Bar
    Sebastian Piedra
  • VinSanto Wine Bar
    Riccardo Guerrieri
  •  

For individual tickets at $250, go to www.ironsommelier.org/tickets/.  For information on sponsorships, visit: https://ironsommelier.org/underwrite-sponsor/. For event details, visit www.ironsommelier.org or www.periwinklefoundation.org.

Photos: Dave Rossman

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