Sarah Stierch

Food & Wine Editor Sonoma Valley Sun

9.0

I was excited to see this pinot noir come across my desk - not only have Three Sticks Wines been consistently delicious, but Gap’s Crown is one of my favorite vineyards and I’m always excited to see what folks are doing with this cool and windy fruit on Sonoma Mountain’s west side, near of Petaluma.

I’ll save technical details for another time, but it’s a young and tasty gem. I was struck with black cherry and a touch of rose petals and cola on the nose. The taste pairs well with the aroma - cherry pie (thanks to 15 months 55% new French Oak - ok, ya got a little tech), a tiny touch of blackberry, baking spices fill the mouth, with a little lush, silky mouthfeel.

The rest of it paired perfectly with beef stew at the Swiss Hotel.

I’d probably cellar it another year, as it did still taste a bit young for me, but it’s drinking pleasant now and will be absolutely lovely in another year or two.

Now I have one question: when will labels change from Sonoma Coast to Petaluma Gap now that the latter is an AVA (albeit this wine was released in August 2017). — 6 years ago

Rich Reader

9.0

85% Verdejo 15% Chardonnay - not registered to a Consejo Reguladora. Is Central Castile another name for Castilla La Mancha or what? Where do I go for a tech sheet? — 8 years ago

George Yasutake

9.7

Russian River Valley....best Pinot noir since the 06 Clos de la Tech Dr Dr & 08 KB Santa Lucia Highlands!! — 8 years ago

Robert May

9.1

Don't let the boring low tech label fool you. This is a snappy little IPA with an uncharacteristically buttery mouth feel and ever so subtle citrus overtone on moderately bitter base. Yeah. Triangulate on that. — 9 years ago

Seba Stian

9.0

Acacia and lemon, with light oak backbone, slightly oily but mostly show up on mineral side. Some tech data I found. It is a blend from about 40 parcels from Fuisse & Pouilly, and each of them is vinified separately. After blend is created part of it, is aged in oak barrels (mostly old barrels) and around 30% is stored in stainless steel to retain minerality and fruitiness. Blending tech seems to work resulting reach, fresh and balanced wine. — 9 years ago

George Yasutake

9.3

Domaine Valeta Sunny Slope. Very good even with Chinese seafood😍 — 9 years ago

Jay Strell

9.0

Bottle after Tech Bytes @mmesnack — 9 years ago

George Yasutake

9.5

Well balanced, fruit forward & nice finish. Best wine of the night - 06 Clos De Tech Pinot Louise & 05 Clerc Milon. — 10 years ago

with Wade

Erica Orr

9.1

Tasted with the Washington wine tech group yesterday — 10 years ago

Jon Bassett

8.9

Tech ranch wine of the night — 10 years ago

Brian Duffy

9.5

Is there another gear when you ratchet up your wine experience?
Clos de la Tech Pinot tasting -- outstanding craftsmanship and pursuit of quality. Intro of 2012 vintage features several stars, led by Cote de Sud -- truly a nugget among semi-precious gems. And then...back to the residence for 2012 Mastro Janni Brunello (swell) followed by 2009 Brigaldara Amarone (special). And then...out comes the 2000 Quintarelli Valpolicella -- is there another level, an overdrive gear from here? Arguably NO, this Quintarelli answers every question wine consumers may conjure. Yes, I believe this is the destination! — 7 years ago

with Zack

Joel Stevens

9.0

Brown-sacked it for the BC/GA Tech game - delicious in a paper cup. — 8 years ago

with J-Bo

Big Sky Guy

9.6

This is a very great wine to share with a nice fire, some ski socks, long johns and a movie. I chose to watch "Taken 3" while I drank it. Great flick. Anyhoo, my good friend, Ali from Pakistan gave me several bottles as a wedding gift (he's a tech wizard from the Bay Area who does Crossfit). I am hoping he visits me soon so I can enjoy it with another human being. All in all, a very fine wine! — 8 years ago

Steve Scott

9.1

This winemaker started as a wine tech then started blending.
He is quite technical in his wines.
The 2009 vintage still has some time left but quite drinkable now.
Great wine. — 9 years ago

Ashlee Howarth

9.4

Coffee ale- tastes like dessert. Definitely better than the Lagunitas Pils people are drinking in Tech....... — 9 years ago

Kaitlin Ohlinger

9.1

Tech panel at OR Chard symposium. This one spoke volumes about the finesse that is old vine. Lovely, delicate. — 9 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

10

This wine is impossible. Thor's barbells balanced on a tightrope with a dancing bear on the other end. Such power. Such grace. Intoxicating, concentrated peach and nectarine sorbet are matched with lime and tangerine sour rock candy. White tea, jasmine, and honeysuckle flowers effuse. Everything is staggeringly intense, but the wine really kicks into 5th gear when the heady saffron and porcini Botrytis-driven aromatics hit. I don't even care that I'm mixing metaphors, but it's a peacock in full show. Take a sip and watch the nuclear-powered laser of the wine's acid seamlessly resolve the lush texture given by the wine's hundreds of grams of residual sugar. I had no idea TBA could have a dry finish, but here we are. I would love to see a tech sheet for this wine. One of the most unbelievable, amazing wines I've ever tried. — 9 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.2

A very forward and seductive wine all purchased fruit and only 3 barrels produced david rudnick a Californian that I has transplanted in 1992 with his family formerly in the tech business and fell in love with wine while studying in Italy. A light and savory wine with silky smooth tannins and a light savory finish notes of red licorice spice. Very nuanced through the finish. Excellent — 10 years ago

Kara Genai

9.1

Supporting VT scholarships with a traditional white wine — 11 years ago

Mike Szilagyi

9.0

Not your typical SB, richer flavor, closer to a Chardonnay. — 8 years ago

Joel Pennington #❤️🐢🍷

Owner/Winemaker Slow Turtle Vineyard

9.0

What a pour - perfect for Clemson v GA Tech kickoff! — 8 years ago

Adam Dromi

9.2

Very cool. Showing beautifully. Still has some good fruit, but tech developed characters are staring to take over. — 8 years ago

with Winehouse

Peter Slagowitz

9.1

A big solid wine. Needs time to open and breathe to tech full potential. Big juicy red fruit big body. Complexity. Even some hints of pepper. — 9 years ago

with Julie, Merryl and 1 other

Rebecca Fletcher

9.5

Violet, dark fruit, spice, wet rock. A bit of Brett. M+ acid, chalky tannin but not intrusive. Beautiful structure. — 9 years ago

Yoko Yamada

9.0

Year 2011. Drink with the tech-team. — 9 years ago

Todd Trzaskos

9.3

Prime example of what Stefano said about Barbi old tradition thru modern tech. Crazy berry concentration, vigorous fresh earth, cellar for long term. — 9 years ago

Josh Bennethum

8.9

Very interesting blend all kinds of grapes. Check out the tech sheet, it's far out. — 9 years ago

Matt Beyard

9.1

Nice little Gewürztraminer! Help bide my time on Verizon Tech Support. Moving on to the hard stuff next. — 10 years ago

Adam Wills

9.2

After a 10hr drive and endless tech issues. This is the best kind of backstage wine — 10 years ago

Linyu Wen

9.7

I always drink this wine in the Google Tech Talks. — 10 years ago