Last June we had Chris of Three Sticks in market showcasing some of the incredible wines from their amazing winery. Everything we had sold out that day after his visit. Now, we are excited to have some wines back in market. Of course being such low production we only have 14 cases of each the 2020 Gaps Crown and the 2018 Durrell vineyard. We anticipate not having these wines for long!
Three Sticks Wines is a boutique, family-owned winery founded by Bill Price (William S. Price III). Founded in 2002, the winery is named for Bill’s surfing nickname, “Billy Three Sticks,” which was assigned to him in his youth as a reference to the three Roman numerals that follow his name. Price is the proprietor of Classic Wines, LLC and Price Family Vineyards, LLC—including ownership and management of Sonoma Coast vineyards including Durell, 111 Wilson Vineyard, DuPont Vineyard, One Sky Vineyard and Gap’s Crown Vineyard. Classic Wines also has ownership interests in Kistler Vineyards, Buccella, Three Sticks and LUTUM. Price is also chairman of Kosta Browne Winery and Gary Farrell Winery.
2018 Three Sticks Gaps Crown
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
6X750ML 14 cases imported
#460822 $90.95/btl wls spec
Vineyard notes
Gap’s Crown Vineyard is synonymous with superlative pinot noir, however, the site’s location in the renowned Petaluma Gap appellation continues to gain critical acclaim for outstanding chardonnay. An estate vineyard of ours, the nearly constant winds funnel cool breezes up from the Pacific Ocean, creating hearty skins on the berries and enveloping the vines in a thick layer of fog. The extreme weather, coupled with Dijon clones specifically chosen for this unique site, showcase the minerality and high-toned fruit in this wine – more reminiscent of our favorite Chablis bottlings than a traditional California chardonnay.
Vintage notes
The 2020 vintage started with a mild winter and lighter than normal rainfall. During flowering, we saw some of that rain, resulting in a poorer “set” of berries. Lower yields concentrate flavors into fewer clusters and fewer berries, so what we lost in yield, we gained in quality. The year took a unique turn when our hospitality team was deployed to the vineyard, helping with shoot thinning and suckering in Springtime due to the pandemic-related Adobe closure. We were also able to make on-the-spot decisions regarding heat spikes later in the year; an absolute advantage of farming our own lands, we were able to take immediate, decisive actions with our vineyard team. With our constant collaboration between winemaking and farming teams, the resulting wines shine, exhibiting incredible concentration and complexity: a bright spot from an otherwise challenging year.
98 points Wine Enthusiast
A creamy mouthfeel of exuberant nuttiness is met by an undercurrent of fresh lemon, tangerine and peach in this highly impressive coastal wine. Deliciously balanced, complex and layered, it exhibits length, breadth and tremendous beauty, exceptional in every way. (VB) (8/2022)
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Varietal content: 100% Chardonnay
Fermentation:100% French Oak
Malolactic fermentation: 100%
Barrel aging:11 Months
Barrel composition: 100% French Oak, 25% New
Alcohol content: 14.1%
Production: 395 Cases
2018 Three Sticks Gaps Crown
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
6X750ML 14 cases imported
#456371 $90.95/btl wls spec
Vineyard notes
Durell Vineyard is our first estate vineyard and consists of 144.5 planted acres of chardonnay, pinot noir, and other vareties. Purchased from Ed Durell in 1997, it was the impetus for forming Price Family Vineyards & Estates. Durell has for years produced some of the most sought after chardonnays, and with the Ori- gin, we were eager to explore this variety’s expression further.
The Origin is stylistically very different from our other chardonnays. Instead of oak, the wine ferments in concrete eggs, amphoras, and stainless steel barrels. We age on the lees to maintain creaminess and texture and aim to showcase the fruit in its purest form. The acid integrates beautifully, bringing balance and life to the palate. Every vintage of this unique chardonnay focuses on the origin of the fruit and highlights the special terrior of Durell.
Vintage Notes
2018 was one of those magical years. With a mild spring, the early growing sea- son plodded along at a relatively normal pace. Once the berries set, we knew we had a healthy and full crop. So full, in fact, we did a number of fruit-thinning passes to reduce load on the vines. Even with this, we were happy to see an above-average harvest with superb quality. We started picking in earnest after Labor Day, with cool, fall weather that allowed us to transfer the grapes in a calm and measured pace. All in all, 2018 will go down as a year to remember, with wines of true depth and power.
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Varietal content: 100% Chardonnay
Fermentation:100% French Oak
Malolactic fermentation: 100%
Barrel aging:11 Months
Barrel composition: 100% Concrete Eggs 30% Stainless Steel
Alcohol content: 14.1%
Production: 363 Cases
97 points Wine Enthusiast
This is a tremendously bright expression from a famous site. It is exuberant in tangy lemon, crushed rock and sea spray, with lasting acidity that tapers it all. Offering a beautiful mix of texture and nuanced earthiness, this is a wholly memorable wine.
