At its best, Chardonnay is sublime and sophisticated, with classical elements of freshness and structure, the fruit, oak and acidity all in balance. In Napa and Sonoma, Chardonnay is having a heyday, with many winemakers devoted to mastering it. These are just a few.
Ryan Prichard, Three Sticks Wines
A Champion of Site Expression
Three Sticks was founded in 2002 by Bill Price, a few years after he purchased the famous Durell Vineyard in Sonoma Valley. Price also owns the Gap’s Crown, Walala, Alana, One Sky and William James Vineyards in Sonoma, all important components of the Three Sticks lineup of Chardonnays.
Winemaker Ryan Prichard was brought on to the Three Sticks team by local legend and Director of Winemaking Bob Cabral; the two had previously worked together at Williams Selyem. Prichard grew up in Northern California and fell in love with wine while at Cornell University, furthering his winemaking studies at the University of California, Davis. He is drawn to the tension and verve of Chardonnay.
“The acidity is so important and sometimes overlooked,” he says. “California has such nice sunshine and the ability to get things ripe, but it’s about finding that balance between texture and the energy provided by the acidity.”…