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Blue Reviews july 2009 / the tasting panel / 65 Three Sticks insists on a 14-month sur lie aging pro- cess for the Chardonnay, which saw its fi rst vintage in 2005. "We're patient with the aging. The wine picks up oak from the barrels, but with the lees, the oak becomes seamlessly integrated into the wine; you have to give it time." For the Pinot Noir, Van Staaveren uses a fi ve-day cold-soak before inoculation, replicating the cold condi- tions of cellars of Burgundy, and gentle basket-press- ing before the wine goes into barrel. In both wines, the results speak for themselves. The 2006 Chardonnay (SRP $45) is particularly impres- sive, with heady aromas, medium weight and a texture that coats both the glass and the tongue. On the palate, it deploys gobs of rich, ripe fruit while remaining always perfectly poised and never cloying. Full malolactic fer- mentation adds to the creamy mouthfeel and complexity. Stylish and Burgundian, this Sonoma masterpiece stands among the best California Chards we've tasted. Van Staaveren poured both the 2006 and 2005 Pinot Noirs ($55). The more recent vintage—a "diffi cult" one, the winemaker admits—shows bright garnet color and lively, pretty red fruit fl avors that opened up nicely in the glass and shows beautifully with food. The 2005, of which there is a small amount left for sale, is a different animal completely, riper and denser, and packed with succu- lent notes of cherry on soft, silky tannins. Since Durell straddles several converging appellations, the Pinot Noir, picked from westerly plots, carries a Sonoma Coast ap- pellation, while the Chardonnay is labeled Sonoma Valley. The Three Sticks 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) is the fi rst release of this varietal. Rare for a California Cab, it contains 15 percent Malbec, which lends it a sinewy core of power that is surrounded by sun-ripe Sonoma fruit fl avors. In typical Three Sticks style, the tannins are controlled and the wine is approachable on release. In the 2008 vintage, Van Staaveren added Merlot to the blend ("I fi nally found one I like"), and his ultimate goal is to add Petit Verdot and Caber- net Franc to the Three Sticks Cabernet as well. The winery made around 1,200 cases in the 2006 vin- tage—a true boutique op- eration—and expects to grow slightly, to around 1,400 cases, with the 2009. Bill Price and his team are in it for the long haul, and quality over quantity is the story at Three Sticks. "We don't' have plans to get huge" says Van Staaveren; after a pause, he adds, "we don't have plans to get mid-sized." Bill Price sums it up:"We want to stay small and pre- cious." Winemaker Don Van Staaveren and owner Bill Price of Three Sticks at Ago in Los Angeles. The Three Sticks Chardonnay was added in the 2005 vintage. The Three Sticks Cabernet matched with Ago's fi letto di manzo. Durell Vinyard Durell Vineyard celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. "When original owner Ed Durell bought a 1,200-acre Sonoma cattle ranch," explains Bill Price, "he carved off 400 acres and started planting Chardonnay in 1979." Price purchased the vine- yard in 1998. Although primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the vineyard also contains blocks of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. In addition to Three Sticks, many other prestigious wineries make vineyard-designated wines from Durell, including Kistler, Patz & Hall, Pali Wine Company and TOR. THE TASTING PANEL will take an in-depth look at Durell Vineyard in our Septem- ber issue.