In the Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California (11) Three Sticks Wines
Website: https://threestickswines.com/
Three Sticks is one of the wineries owned by Bill Price, whose nickname is ‘Billy Three Sticks’. He owns six vineyards in Sonoma County, of which two are in the Russian River Valley. As well as these vineyards, he owns two further Sonoma wineries, both of which are very highly regarded: Kistler and Gary Farrell. The first vineyard he purchased, back in 1997, was the Durell Vineyard. This had achieved fame for its Chardonnay, but in 2002 he made his first wine from it, the Durell Pinot Noir.
35% of Bill’s vineyards are used for Three Sticks, and three of these are monopoles. Altogether he has 325 acres of vines. Total production is 12 000 cases.
They have a tasting room in downtown Sonoma which is set in a beautiful old adobe building that dates back to 1842. It has been restored beautifully.
I met with general manager Prema Kerollis, who previously worked with Bill at his investment company Texas Pacific Group, and Rob Harris, who is in charge of vineyards and farming.
THE WINES
Three Sticks Castenada Rosé 2023 Sonoma Coast
Bright and linear with nice precision and some juicy focus to the cherries and plum fruit. Has nice brightness with a mineral twist to the palate. An attractive dry rosé. 91/100
Three Sticks Durell Vineyad Pinot Blanc 2022 Sonoma Coast
This is lively, bright and quite complex with good intensity, and a fine spicy edge to the citrus and pear fruit. Bright and linear with good acidity on the finish. This has a good concentration of fruit and a long, slightly saline, finely spiced finish. 94/100
Three Sticks Alana Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 Russian River Valley
14.1% alcohol. This is bright and linear with lovely tightly wound citrus fruit. Quite crystalline with nice intensity. Shows a nice acid line with precision. Some mealy hints, too. Lovely focus to this wine. 93/100
Three Sticks Alana Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 Russian River Valley
This is bright and juicy with bright cranberries and cherries showing good acidity with nice tannic structure, as well as hints of olive and mint, and a twist of aniseed. Nice brightness. Lovely expressive Pinot. 95/100
Three Sticks William James Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 Russian River Valley
Fine Goldridge soils, referred to as moon dust. Fresh, floral and direct with lovely sweet fruit. Bright and expressive with nice texture and a twist of meat and pepper adding a savoury patina to the fruit. Has nice purity and a sour cherry twist on the finish. 94/100
Three Sticks Price Family Estates Pinot Noir 2022 Sonoma Coast
This is ripe and sweet with bold cherry and berry fruits, a touch of strawberry, and then some freshness on the finish. Bright finish here, with a touch of cranberry and raspberry and some fine green hints. Juicy and linear with a bit of raspberry crunch on the finish. 93/100
EXPLORING THE RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
