It's been awhile since we've heard from our own personal ray of sunshine, Chief Operating Officer (and wine lover extraordinaire) Prema Behan. So we sat down together to get her impressions of the Summer wine releases ... available in just a few short weeks!

"If I had to choose just one word to describe the five 2013 wines being released in a few weeks it would be 'bright.' Or possibly 'fresh.' It's a toss up.

"Truly, these wines are stunning. Mother Nature handed us the gift of a near-perfect growing season. So, out in the vineyards, rather than trying to guide the vines too much, we instead made choices that would take nothing (zero - nada - not a single solitary thing) away from the great quality of the fruit.

"These are the first Three Sticks Wines to carry winemaker Bob Cabral's imprint. He and Don blended the final wines together in a collaboration that allowed for Don's guidance in the cellar to meld with the unique signature Bob will bring to our collection in the years to come.

"The two Chardonnays in the Summer Release are Origin and One Sky. Each gives a fresh perspective to a fabulous vintage - and both will be welcome additions to your summer table.

"Origin is bright and beautiful - totally untouched by oak or malolactic influence. It's aged on the lees for 15 months to intensify its own natural signature, resulting in a truly pure taste of the vineyard in the glass.

"One Sky uses more traditional cellar techniques, but the higher elevation of the vineyard gives us the acidity to stand up to a bit of oak and malo, creating a bright, golden fresh interplay of fruit and oak sweetness.

"We don't always include Pinot in our Summer Release, but these wines are big, bright, showy and beautiful right now they practically begged to be released immediately. Plus, these perfectly balanced, fresh wines are superb for summer - really, the opposite of a heavy red.

"We find ourselves saying the word 'perfect' alot about the 2013s ... and the Bien Nacido deserves the word. It's a lovely balance of earth and fruit - inviting and bright with the power and signature of that amazing vineyard and the Santa Maria Valley.

"'The James' bottling from Sta. Rita Hills proves the vintage was amazing all up and down the California coast. Light on the palate, soft and supple in the mouth. The James, named for Bill's son, is growing up ...

"And last ... but oh-so-certainly not least ... the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir literally leaps out of the glass with the region's signature cherry cola and spice raspberry tones - beautifully supported by ample, lusty wet earth and forest moss.

"All in all these wines are ... well, they are extraordinary! Some of the most exuberant Three Sticks wines we've ever made. We hope you stop by our new home in Sonoma to sample these beauties while checking out our beloved Adobe. We look forward to sharing them with you ... starting May 12th. (Psstt ... if you're not on our mailing list yet - click here to join.)"

- Prema