Three Sticks Wines (Sonoma)

We had the good fortune to open a bottle of Three Sticks pinot in February for a Gallentines Day gathering, and we all fell in love with it. So rich and complex. On the spot we vowed to visit Three Sticks as soon as possible to get more! We knew nothing about Three Sticks - just that we needed more of this pinot. Unfortunately we did not take note of which pinot - turns out they have many to choose from! That’s ok, research is fun too. I actually don’t go to tasting rooms very often, as I prefer the full winery experience, but this particular tasting room is exceptional!

While we were seated in the lovely garden for our experience, under normal circumstances we would be in the tasting room inside The Adobe. Built in 1842, we learned it is one of the “longest continually inhabited homes in Sonoma” until Eva and Bill Price III purchased it for Three Sticks in 2012. Small aside: See the “III” after his name? He was nicknamed “Billy Three Sticks” as a kid, thus the name of the label!

The Adobe was carefully restored and then decorated by the renowned designer, Ken Fulk. You can definitely see Fulk’s aesthetic in the small details of the design (zoom in on the photo and check out the metal work on the curtains). The stand outs for me are the corner booth made of embossed leather used for cowboy boots and the gorgeous bathroom!

Outside in what was previously an English garden, a long and careful excavation, overseen by historians and archeologists, unearthed a “refuse” sight from 1860-80, with items now on display in the adobe, including many a whisky bottle! In a nod to this, the shape of the whisky bottle is the inspiration for the bottle of their red blend, Casteñada.

Outstanding wines in the garden of the Adobe…

While we thought we came for the pinot, we really had no idea what a treat we were in for. The pinot repertoire is extensive, but we also tasted two wonderful chardonnays (one with fruit from the iconic Gap’s Crown Vineyard) and a unique red blend, named the Casteñada (fermenting red AND white fruit together).

With the guidance of our knowledgable hostess Natalie (@locayogi), and the tasting cards provided, it was easy (well, easier) to keep track of the different wines offered. We still are not sure which pinot we tried that day in February but we loved all of the ones we tried at our tasting! It was hard to decide…one of each?

I am not going to geek out on points of viticulture and tasting notes (mainly because that is really going out of my lane), but suffice to say that winemaker Ryan Pritchard (2020 Rising Star: Winemaker of the Year by San Francisco Magazine) has crafted some excellent wines with the fruit of some very special estate vineyards.

Napanista Approved!