The Tasting Panel magazine

42 / the tasting panel / september 2009 most perfect vine- yards; experienced winemaker Don Van Staaveren oversees its nurturing and style; and then there's Bill Price himself, an entrepreneur whose business acumen as an equity investor allows him not to depend on the wine as his major source of income. "Our goal is not to make Three Sticks a growing winery, but instead, the best expression of how we interpret each vari- etal," Price explains. "We have the luxury of patience, from matur- ing the fruit on the vine to aging in barrel and bottle. Most cult wines are released on demand, to enhance cash fl ow or make room for a new vintage. We don't have to succumb to that practice." Sticks, Together You can't talk about—or drink— Three Sticks without mentioning Don Van Staaveren, one of Califor- nia's living legend winemakers. His track record with Durell Vineyards alone spans 20 years, but his history goes further back than that as the esteemed winemaker for Chateau St. Jean and Artesa. A vineyard manager before he even became a winemaker, Van Staaveren's early mentor, winegrow- er Bert Ballatore, offered him some priceless advice: "If you want to make good wine, you have to grow good grapes." The lanky surfi ng winemaker gets up to retrieve his cell phone, which plays "Wipeout" as its ringtone. (Price's phone rings to "Stairway to Heaven.") He returns to sit down with me, and we begin to taste Three Sticks wines. I ask him about his style and how he puts his signa- ture on these wines. "I think it's become instinctual after all this time," he says. "There's a blur between experience and con- trol and what will impact the fi nal quality of the wine. For Three Sticks, I have a lot of enthusiasm," he ges- tures with his hands, "and that can get me into trouble, experimenting with things that may not work out. But I'm still learning." If there is a Van Staaveren touch to Three Sticks, it shows in the juici- ness that runs through all the wines: a burst of fruit and enticing aromas, along with a core of lushness and ap- proachability. With minimal handling and one-barrel-at-a-time production, the fruit from each lot is kept sepa- rate until a month before bottling. Three Sticks Chardonnay is planted on the warmer parcels at Durell, and Price points out that it is the purest expression of Chardon- nay from the vineyards. San Pablo Bay breezes and the frequent fogs that spill over the hills from the west keep the vines cool and allow the slow ripening that results in a lush and creamy Chardonnay. "Kistler has more minerality, while Lioco is more Burgundian," he explains, measuring his own wine against its top vine-mates. "We have no excuse for not making the best wine under Don's vision." Three Sticks 2007 Chardon- nay (clone 76 and Wente Select) speaks of honeysuckle blossoms, warm baked apple and pineapple with a touch of vanilla: balanced and layered. (SRP $45, 212 cases) Three Sticks 2006 Pinot Noir, according to Van Staaveren, is a sleeper. "We like our Pinot Noir, but in surfi ng terms, we feel there's still a big swell coming." In our opinion, we thought it a gentle soul, although deeply hued with the color—and the taste—of dried cherries and an ethereal touch of ginger. (SRP $55, 325 cases) Three Sticks 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon plays with 25% Malbec for that extra lush grapey nose and texture, which re- minded us of the supple pulp of a just-peeled plum. "Cabernet is Don's expertise," Bill Price tells THE TASTING PANEL. "We knew this would be spectacular." And it is. With Sonoma sunshine interpreted in this opaquely inky red, it also has notes from the Mediterranean: spices, soil and rounded feminine power. The '06 releases in the next month or so. Three Sticks Wines Richard Leland, proprietor of Mill Valley's Vintage Wine & Spirits, had high expectations for Three Sticks wine. "One assumes that the owner of such a great vineyard will keep the best grapes for himself," said Leland, who tastes over 60 wines a week. "Our expectations were high, and they were met." – Ryan Lely Vintage Wine & Spirits 67 Throckmorton Ave. Mill Valley, CA 94941 www.threestickswines.com Three Sticks in Stock Cult Status

• Cover