Community Tasting Notes 3

• PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 points

  May 20, 2023 - Wonderful.

  Comment

• Charlie C Likes this wine: 94 points

  January 10, 2023 - Cherry red, translucent at the edges. Lovely nose of violets and strawberry. Beautiful fruit, strawberry, black cherry, just a hint of anise. Fine, firm tannins, beautiful acidity, great balance. Surge of red fruit in the mid-palate. Finishes long and graceful with red fruits. Lovely now. Drink next 5 to 6 years.

  Comment

• Hi.its.Don.4.Wine Likes this wine: 96 points

  February 16, 2021 - A Couple of Firsts, Rehashing the Past, a Record, and a New Favorite
  
  By the time you read this post, it will be a wonderful memory to me, you see, I’m writing this on the day of the “Big Game.” The Big Game, the juxtaposition of the name used instead of “that other name,” the rights for which have been held by the NFL since 1969. So not wishing to be sued, I’ll forgo and refrain for now.
  
  Back to the title; the firsts that appeared to me on Big Game Sunday was the decision of what to drink with my dinner. With Baby Back Rips on sale leading up to the game, I knew even before entering the grocery store what was for dinner. The more difficult decision was what to drink with those ribs. That’s where the first of “Rehashing the Past” hit me. My post of April last, “Pinot with Ribs; who am I to argue with Billy Three Sticks?” Time once again to break out a Pinot Noir from Three Sticks. The Three Sticks Cuvée Alana Pinot Noir 2018.
  
  Commensurate with the 2 “Firsts,” the wine is the “First” Cuvée Alana Pinot Noir ever released and I’m going with the fact (or at least as I see it) that I’m the “First” to review the wine. Piggybacking on that to the 2nd “Rehash” as Alana Vineyard is named after Bill Price’s daughter, Alana, and only having a Chardonnay as her namesake till now, but my having mentioned naming vineyards after family members a few times before.
  
  Next, “The Record.” I’m going with certain clairvoyance for that one; if you can believe weatherpersons, we here in Upper Illinois are in for what could be a record for the longest cold streak in our history. Oh - yay? The inclusion just seemed to work into the others, I’m not as excited about this one.
  
  So what about the wine?
  
  For the past years, while enjoying every Pinot I’ve had from Three Sticks, I have tended to favor their Walala Vineyard, much for its intensity, balance, and overall enjoyment. Without question, I have found me a “New Favorite.”
  
  Much like Walala, the Cuvée Alana first presents itself with a slightly bigger structure, flavors of dried cherry carrying along with bright acidity that is joined by tannins that are there to bring structure without harshness to the wine. Savory and well-balanced moving through to the finish that is long-lasting, most likely the result of a longer hang time for the grapes and a beautiful vintage to boot.
  
  This is a small production wine that isn’t likely to remain available long, so if you want to experience a “New Wine” as well as potentially finding yourself a “New Favorite,” give the winery a call.
  
  Cheers

  Comments (1)

Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2018
• Type Red
• Producer Three Sticks
• Varietal Pinot Noir
• Designation Cuvée Alana
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Sonoma County
• Appellation Russian River Valley

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 116 (60%)
• Consumed 76 (40%)

Food Pairing

Who Likes This Wine

More About This Wine