Three Sticks Wines: William James Vineyard

What the Three Sticks Wines team loves most about the William James Vineyard, is that it takes us back into the history of Sebastopol. It is a cool climate, Green Valley, Russian River. We get these great red fruit flavors off of our Pinot Noir. This area has a rich agricultural history. Gravenstein apples planted to one side of it, currently, and as you look out, you see farmland, and barns, and other orchards, and other vineyard. One of the unique properties of William James is the moon dust. You can always tell when you've been out to William James Vineyard because you have this fine, talcum powder dust up to your knees, and this is the Goldridge soil that Sebastopol and Green Valley is famous for.

William James is six and a half acres of all Pinot Noir, split into four little blocks comprised of three different clones. One of the things that makes it unique and special is it sits in somewhat of a unique spot, and it sits on the top of a tiny little ridge, right off of Bodega Highway. What that does is adds a little bit of warmth to it that has become a benefit to us, where we can grow a very big, very strong grapevine, that then, it is our job to tame back to what we want. It's really in a sweet spot in terms of being young, and strong, and really coming into its own, right now.

What the Three Sticks Team sees off the wines that come from William James, is that it has a beautiful red color. It has a little bit of a hint of herb to it, as well…which is expected of this site. The Goldridge soil provides this background texture that has fine-grained tannins, which really sets this wine apart. It's what made it such a rich agricultural site in the past, and their continuing this legacy of agriculture out at William James Vineyard.