Pale gold color; granny smith apple, honeydew melon, pineapple, lemon-lime, peach yogurt, banana, toasted almond, oak, baked bread, white flowers, jasmine, minerality on the nose and palate.
Dry; no to faint tannins, good acidity (3.35 pH). Medium body. One Sky Vineyard is part of Three Stick’s Monopole collection. It is farmed organically and certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Although winery does not explicitly say, grapes likely fermented in oak barrels, thus the banana, baked bread, and toasted almond tasting notes and the faint tannins . It also is likely a percentage was fermented in stainless steel and/or concrete eggs. A creamy mid-palate strongly indicates full malolactic conversion. Likely aged in a mix of French oak, including lightly charred first use. Likely aged on the lees in oak for at least a year. (Winery provides few details.) 14.1% ABV
One Sky Vineyard was created from virgin land. The winery notes: “It’s safe to say One Sky is one of our more beautiful properties, nestled on the top of rural Sonoma Mountain. This unique site is unusually high for pinot noir and chardonnays, lending itself to layered, multi-dimensional wines. The name One Sky comes from its elevated perspective of San Francisco all the way to the coast of Sonoma, epitomizing that we all live under one sky.”
Three Sticks owns, farms, and produces every grape and every drop of wine from its own estate vineyards. The operation specializes in chardonnay and pinot noir. Ryan Prichard is the director of winemaking. Rob Harris is vice president in charge of vineyards. Prema Kerollis is the co-founder and general manager. Bill Price III is the proprietor, which reflects his ownership interests in Three Sticks Wines, Kistler Vineyards, Gary Farrell Winery, and Head High. The “three sticks” name comes from the nickname Price’s surfing buddies gave him when he was growing up in Hawaii—referring to the III at the end of his name.
Three Sticks wines are estate bottled, which is not a common thing. Three Sticks does so in order to control the entire process, from vine to bottle. According to the U.S. Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: “Estate bottled means that 100 percent of the wine came from grapes grown on land owned or controlled by the winery, and both the winery and the vineyard must be located within the boundaries of the labeled viticultural area.” The majority of U.S. wineries are not allowed to put “estate bottled” on their labels.
Three Sticks One Sky Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Mountain 2021 is superb super premium from a highly regarded operation. Lively parade of tasty fruits meld with deft use of oak and wise viticultural decisions from a premium vineyard that was hand-crafted to produce exemplary chardonnay and pinot noir. Pair with seafood—Dungeness crab, crab cakes, crab-stuffed mushrooms, lobster bisque, pan-seared halibut, cod, hazelnut-crusted salmon. Herb-roasted chicken, chicken in mushroom cream sauce, honey-glazed turkey breast, duck confit. Roasted pork loin. Charred eggplant mousse, grilled portobello mushrooms, butternut squash ravioli, corn chowder. Cheese—brie and camembert are classic; Mt Tam triple cheese, truffle-infused robiola, aged gouda, comté. $70-80
