Three Sticks Gap’s Crown Wine Offer

Just as there are iconic producers of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir in Sonoma County, there are also iconic sites in which those grapes are grown.

The Gap’s Crown Vineyard is a 406-acres site that, over the last two decades, has acquired a reputation for consistently producing wines of distinction.

The argument could be made that the vineyards rise to fame came in the early 2000s with the surge in popularity of Kosta Browne and their vineyard designate Pinot Noir bottlings. In fact, when Wine Spectator voted the 2009 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast bottling their #1 Wine of the Year in 2011, Michael Browne went on record to say that most of the fruit for that wine was sourced from Gap’s Crown Vineyard.

“It has been the backbone of our Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir program and contributed to our 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir being awarded Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year in 2011,” Michael said.

Originally owned and developed by Premier Pacific Vineyards as part of the CalPERS investment portfolio, Gap’s Crown was first planted between 2002 and 2005. In 2012, the vineyard was acquired by Bill Price, Owner & Proprietor of Three Sticks Wines.

Today, the site sits east of the town of Rohnert Park and rises up the western slope of Sonoma Mountain. Gap’s Crown is planted to a total of 132 acres of fruit, with 105 acres of Pinot Noir and 27 acres of Chardonnay. The vineyard ranges in elevation from 300 feet to around 900 feet with soils of cobbly clay loam. This classification of volcanic and sedimentary soil type is both shallow and well-drained which lends depth and complexity to the resulting wines.

While Price and company still have contracts with other producers who purchase Gap’s Crown fruit, the best parcels and the highest quality grapes are without a doubt going to Three Sticks Wines. That being said, the Three Sticks Gap’s Crown bottlings have impressed me time and time again, and I’d go as far as to say, I believe they are the best wines being made from this vineyard.

The Three Stick’s Pinot Noir from Gap’s Crown is a dense and structured wine with a good concentration of fruit. The palate has a noticeable presence of tannin and a hallmark finish that is long and complex. Chardonnay produced from this vineyard and bottled under the Three Sticks label is mineral driven. I like to describe it as Chablis-like in character with the perfect amount of California sun kissed fruit. They are both very lovely wines.

Today’s Mayacama Wine Offer provides members with access to the Three Sticks Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2021 bottlings. As most of you already know, I am very fond of this vintage, as it is largely being heralded as one of the best vintages of the last decade.

I’m excited to be featuring these wines and presenting them to you today, so, as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Thank you for your continued support.

Cheers!

Carey Vanderborg, Wine Director

WINES BEING OFFERED:

Chardonnay, Gap’s Crown Vineyard, Sonoma Coast 2021 ($65/btl)

Pinot Noir, Gap’s Crown Vineyard, Sonoma Coast 2021 ($75/btl)

Learn more about these wines here.