NEWSFLASH!
Former Williams Selyem winemaker Bob Cabral joins Three Sticks winemaking team!
Bill Price and Three Sticks are thrilled to announce Bob Cabral will be partnering with our team as director of winemaking. Cabral, who for the last 16 years led Williams Selyem, is well known for his work with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals. Ryan Prichard, former assistant winemaker for Medlock Ames and one-time harvest intern for Bob at Williams Selyem, will join the cellar team as associate winemaker.
The new team will work alongside Don Van Staaveren as he moves to the role of winemaker emeritus, with our enologist Jenny Schultz and cellar master Hector Cisneros. Don has played a critical role in the realization of Three Sticks, from building out the winery on Eighth Street East in Sonoma to exploring new vineyards, near and far, and expanding our portfolio from simply Durell Pinot Noir to 14 wines from top vineyards all over California. We are so excited that Don will continue making many of Three Sticks’ most beloved gems: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc and Casteñada wines.
“I’ve explored many opportunities since announcing my departure from Williams Selyem last year, and joining the Three Sticks team was the perfect opportunity for me,” says Bob. “Bill and I share a focused passion for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and I have longed to work with grapes from the iconic Durell and Gap’s Crown vineyards. I cannot express how much I’m looking forward to our collaboration together. We will get the 2013s blended and bottled in the next few weeks to have them available this summer. Meanwhile we have some stellar 2012s to enjoy for the next couple of months.”
The last of our 2012 Pinot Noirs – Durell Vineyard and Bien Nacido Vineyard – along with our 2011 Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon will be released on Tuesday, January 20th.
“Bob is undoubtedly one of the most talented winemakers in Sonoma County and has a beautiful touch with his Pinot Noirs. We are thrilled to have Bob and Ryan on the team at Three Sticks and I look forward to working with them on making iconic Sonoma wines for years to come,” says Price.
“Bill is someone who I’ve admired for quite some time. I have watched him become a quiet leader for the California wine industry and realized after several discussions that we shared a similar obsession for growing and producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from these ‘chosen’ sites throughout Coastal California. I’ve been extremely impressed with the entire Three Sticks wine portfolio and hope to shepherd them into the future much as I did in my most recent position. With the addition of the recently renovated historic Adobe, Three Sticks will be able to offer a wine experience like no other in the state. Having those common visions and goals with Bill clarified that I had truly found a partner that I could continue to grow within this amazing industry.”
Bob has roots in viticultural as a fourth-generation farmer and grape grower from the San Joaquin Valley, who grew up pruning vines and harvesting grapes on his family’s 70-acre ranch near Escalon, CA. He joined Williams Selyem in 1998 after previous winemaking positions at De Loach, Kunde, Alderbrook and Hartford Court. His past accolades include Wine Enthusiast’s ‘2011 Winemaker of the Year’ and the honor of having one of his Pinot Noir wines be the first American Pinot Noir to win a 100 point score from a major wine publication.
If you’re not yet familiar with Three Sticks wines, we have two 3-bottle packages available for purchase before our spring release on January 20th. The Taste of Three Sticks includes our 2012 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, 2011 Durell Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Pinot Noir-focused package includes 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 2012 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir “The James” and our estate 2012 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir.
Please join us in a warm welcome to Bob and Ryan on Saturday, February 28th at the Adobe (details below). We are looking forward to great things in 2015 and beyond!