A New Chardonnay Benchmark: Our 2024 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay Earns 99 Points

Originally published April 22, 2026

Content reflects information available at the time of publication.

There are moments that stay with you, and when we tasted the 2024 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay for the first time in January, it stopped us in our tracks. It was the kind of wine that felt complete from the very beginning, layered, expressive, and unmistakably true to the vineyard it came from.

We are incredibly proud to share that this wine has now been awarded 99 points by Meridith May, publisher, executive editor, and co-owner of The Tasting Panel and owner of The SOMM Journal, making it the highest-rated wine in Three Sticks history.

In her words: “A brilliant wine, with sunshine-kissed mineral tones and vivid citrus. Its depth and complexity of style, its round mouthfeel and saline approach reflect its coastal influence. Notes of Mandarin orange, melon, and mango take elegance to a luxe level.”

This milestone means a great deal to us, but it also points to something bigger. When Three Sticks Wines committed to becoming a fully estate-driven winery on the Sonoma Coast, we knew it would demand more; more time, more precision, and more responsibility. We also knew it would allow us to make wines with a level of intention and integrity that simply is not possible any other way. Every decision, from farming to harvest to what happens in the cellar at our Sonoma estate, is entirely in our hands.

Gap’s Crown Vineyard has long been one of the most celebrated vineyard sites on the Petaluma Gap within the Sonoma Coast, and this 2024 Chardonnay reflects everything that makes it extraordinary: clarity, coastal energy, and a depth that reveals itself with every sip. This is single-vineyard Chardonnay at its finest, and a true expression of what great Sonoma Coast winemaking can achieve.

A heartfelt thank you to our entire vineyard and production teams for bringing this wine to life. This recognition belongs to all of you.

The 2024 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay is available now. We invite you to experience it for yourself.

Shop the 99-Point Chardonnay

Shop Current Wines