THREE STICKS “Gap’s Crown Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2020

(Sonoma Coast, CA) $75

Three Sticks makes more than a half dozen fantastic Pinot Noirs from extremely cool, Pacific-impacted vineyards all over Sonoma. Their Gap’s Crown is our favorite because it embodies Pinot’s great “magic trick”—which is to be simultaneously both utterly rich and beautifully restrained. I also think that all the best California Pinots are never simply fruity; they have hints of flavors that are “dark” and “corrupt” at the same time. In Gap’s Crown,   pomegranate, blackberry, and raspberry are woven into a delicious tapestry with notes of pipe tobacco, damp earth, and the addictive smell of soft (maybe slightly sweaty) leather gloves.  Pinot Noirs like this are never inexpensive, but they are such a compelling head-trip to drink that $15 a glass seems just about right.  14% abv

96 points KM

Available at Wine.com