Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Deep and defined, ripe cherry fruit is joined by a lovely touch of crème brûlée sweetness and subtle rose-petal notes in the very attractive and gradually expanding aromas of this involving opus, and the wine follows with very rich and well-composed flavors that are every bit as impressive as the nose. Full, slightly supple and hinting at varietal velvet to come yet firmed by a fine spine of structural tannins, this is a complete Pinot Noir that, for all of its immediate appeal, warrants a bit of time in the cellar. Those willing to wait will not be disappointed.
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Tasting Panel
A rich blend of fruit from the Gap's Crown, Walala, and Durell vineyards with notes of ripe cherry and sweet vanilla oak; complex with a tangy style and lasting finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Pinot Noir PFV Estate is pale to medium ruby-purple colored with a nose of crushed red currants, red cherries and raspberry leaves with touches of tilled soil and wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with generous red fruits, supported by seamless freshness and silken tannins, finishing long and minerally
Three Sticks Wines is a boutique, family-owned winery recognized for pinot noir and chardonnay. Proprietor Bill Price III (nicknamed “Billy Three Sticks”) owns six Grand Cru level estate vineyards in Sonoma County, including three Heritage vineyards–Durell, Gap’s Crown, and Walala and three Monopole vineyards–One Sky, Alana, and William James. An intimate relationship with each property shines through in each of the Three Sticks wines, reflecting a keen understanding of how working with great vineyards, along with a meticulous winemaking style, produces inspiring results.
The Vallejo-Castenada Adobe (built in 1842) was built by Captain Salvador Vallejo, brother of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, the Commandante Generale of the northern territory of Mexico (modern day Sonoma). The Prices purchased the property in 2012 and embarked on a two-year preservation project. The Three Sticks team worked with Sonoma historians and the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation to restore and protect the fabric of the property. They commissioned San Francisco-based designer Ken Fulk and his team to design the ambience of the Adobe, as it is known locally. The historic landmark in downtown Sonoma is now home to the hospitality of Three Sticks.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.