Review: 2021 Three Sticks Pinot Noirs – Gap’s Crown and One Sky Vineyards

Two new releases from Sonoma-based Three Sticks, both pinot noirs from the 2021 vintage — and both very different. Some thoughts:

2021 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Gap’s Pinnacle Gap’s Crown Vineyard – This is an awfully dense pinot for a relatively cool climate area, heavy with cherry and cranberry notes — both dried and well-spiced. Chocolate endures on a finish that feels holiday-adjacent, even evoking coffee and cola notes as the surprisingly acidic palate builds. Notes of pepper and cloves push a spicy agenda, with chocolate and a slightly pruny note enduring on the finish. A solid choice if you’re looking for an aggressive, powerhouse pinot, but be prepared for the onslaught. Consider aging for a few years. B+ / $95

2021 Three Sticks Pinot Noir Sonoma Mountain One Sky Vineyard – The first vineyard-designated release from One Sky. Turns out it was worth the wait: What a difference this experience is vs. the above wine. Deft and light on its feet, the mountain-fruit wine is still bursting with cherry and raspberry notes, though it wholly lacks the heavy, jammy qualities that give the Gap’s Crown bottling such immense weight. That’s a good — a great — thing, as the wine layers its berry core with notes of fresh, red flowers, cinnamon-heavy baking spice, and ample vanilla. The vaguest hint of tannin informs the finish, in the form of some gentle, complementary rhubarb notes. Altogether it’s a fully-formed experience that takes you on a journey from start to finish. A / $85

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