Retrospective Tasting

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Backward and Forward: the “Complete” Massican Retrospective

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Dan Petroski is a former magazine publishing executive who, after spending a career-reset year in Sicily helping out at a winery, decided to turn his back on the publishing world and become a winemaker. Essentially self-taught, Petroski worked his way up from a harvest intern to become the winemaker at Larkmead Cellars in Napa.

Along the way, he came up with the (rather harebrained) idea of launching a white-wine-only brand from Napa Valley. In a milieu where white wine almost always represents an afterthought, and entry-level pricing tends to start at $50 per bottle, Dan envisioned Massican (https://www.‐ massican.com/) as a wine brand that would bring Mediterranean flavors and lifestyle to his cus‐ tomers at extremely accessible prices.

Dan launched Massican as an estate-less wine brand in 2009 with small quantities of two Italian-inspired white blends and a Sauvignon Blanc made from purchased grapes. Within only a couple of vintages his wines quickly became the darlings of many a sommelier interested in higher-acidity, food-friendly wines from California, and the wines became representative of a fundamental shift in California winemaking towards balance and diversity.

The winemaking regimen at Massican aligns with an approach I like to call low-intervention pragmatism. Petroski likes to work with growers who farm organically, but he can’t always find enough organic sources. Whenever possible he chooses to work with farmers that don’t use glyphosate. When the fruit warrants it, Petroski ferments with native yeasts, but inoculates fermentations he believes will need it. His Annia, Gemina, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio wines are fermented in oak barrels of various sizes, with an emphasis on used barrels for the most part. The Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel. Malolactic conversion is often blocked to retain acidity, and consequently the wines are all sterile filtered before bottling in deliberately lightweight glass bottles.

Petroski, in addition to his natural talents as a winemaker, brought his considerable marketing savvy to the exercise of creating the Massican brand. In addition to taking great care in the design of packaging and visual presentation of the brand, Petroski has been unafraid to experiment in the service of innovation. He has created branded virtual real-estate in the metaverse, an Instagram cookbook, a magazine, wine bottle NFTs, a line of beers, vermouth, and more.

Not all of these ventures have been successful, but they have collectively elevated Massican to something more than a wine label, as well as marking Petroski as a true innovator in the wine business, a fact not lost on the folks at Gallo, who finally made Petroski an offer he couldn’t refuse in late 2023.

Now, with an inconceivably large set of vineyards at his disposal, world-class production facilities, and a distribution network second to none, Petroski seems quite enthusiastic to take Massican to the next level. His 2023 wines, the first made under the aegis of Gallo and utilizing those vast resources, show no real departure from his style, and the addition of a tasty screw-capped Pinot Grigio suggests the shape of things to come.

No doubt assisted and encouraged by the corporate resources now at his disposal, Petroski recently put together a comprehensive look back at nearly every wine he has ever made under the Massican brand.

The tasting, held at Gallo’s Louis Martini winery in Napa (and pictured above), was a rather low-key affair, but in classic Petroski style, it featured old Fellini movies projected on the wall, energetic music, sommelier-like service, and a paid photographer, which is why you’re getting a rare shot of me at work as part of this article.

When you make wines intended to be consumed within months of release, it takes a certain amount of courage (or devil-may-care attitude) to pop open every wine you’ve ever made across 15 years. Even Petroski seemed surprised at how well some of these wines have aged.

In particular, Petroski’s second vintage of Annia, the 2010, was shockingly good, having transformed into a richer, more honeyed version of its younger self, with shimmering complexity.

Some of the earliest Sauvignon Blancs were feeling a bit tired, for sure, but the 2014 was surprisingly vibrant, as were some of the vintages from the late teens. My guidance for consumers usually entails drinking most California Sauvignon Blanc in the first couple years of release, but it’s clear Massican has the structure to last quite well.

So what’s next for Massican? Apart from settling into its new corporate home, I’d expect to see production ramp up on most wines as Gallo tries to make a return on their investment. So long as Petroski is involved, however, I suspect this will be done with an adherence to the quality standards he has set for himself. Even before the Gallo purchase, a number of his wines were declassified from Napa Valley to the generic California appellation as Petroski sought more fruit sources across the state. I would expect this to continue under Gallo.

Petroski hasn’t shared any new plans with me, I’m privately betting that we might see a Massican rosé before too long. It might undermine the claim of being Napa’s only winery focused exclusively on dry white wines, but it just seems to me that a Mediterranean lifestyle wine brand needs a bottle of something pink and crisp to complement it.

Or that might just remain my fantasy. Either way, having looked back on the last 15 years of Petroski’s work at Massican, I’m now looking forward to whatever he does next. I’m sure it will be something worth following.

Tasting Notes

The notes on nearly 60 wines below represent almost every wine made under the Massican label save a few sold-out wines for which no remaining bottles were available.

Before we get into Massican’s traditional wines, there are two outliers. A first and a last. The first is Petroski’s inaugural bottling of Pinot Grigio (with a splash of Cortese), which makes a logical addition to the Massican portfolio beginning in the 2023 vintage.

The other is the singular and never-repeated late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc made in the passito method, with air-dried grapes. Made once, it was a nice surprise in the lineup of wines, as I wasn’t aware of its existence.

2023 Massican Pinot Grigio, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of pears and white flowers. In the mouth, lemon pith and pear flavors are bright, shot through with wet chalkboard minerality, and vibrating with excellent acidity. A faint chalky note lingers in the finish with citrus peel. Contains 12% Cortese. 12.1% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9 (out of 10.)

2010 Massican “Passito” Sauvignon Blanc, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of marmalade and honey. In the mouth, incredibly bright and juicy flavors of orange marmalade, honey, flowers, and a touch of toffee are fresh and bright with fantastic acidity and silky length. Fresh and seemingly only moderately sweet thanks to the prodigious acidity. Made with air-dried grapes. 13% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

Annia

Annia represents the classic Friulian white wine that launched Petroski on his odyssey to create Massican. It foregrounds Friulano (formerly known as Tocai Friulano), heavily features Ribolla Gialla and usually blends in some Chardonnay for good measure. The blend varies each year, occasionally featuring more Ribolla than Friulano, but it remains a consistently satisfying citrus and floral experience, that (as this retrospective tasting showed) can age extremely well.

2023 Massican “Annia” White Blend, California
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, yellow herbs, and a hint of lychee. In the mouth, silky flavors of lemon juice, Asian pear, and chamomile mix with citrus pith and wet pavement. White floral notes linger through the finish. Excellent acidity and a nice stony undertone. A blend of 43% Friulano, 34% Ribolla Gialla, and 23% Chardonnay. 12.3% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2022 Massican “Annia” White Blend, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of yellow herbs, bee pollen, white flowers, and Asian pear. In the mouth, Asian pear, chamomile, bee pollen, and honeysuckle have a lovely crystalline quality and excellent acidity. Silky texture, bright and delicious. A blend of 41% Ribolla Gialla, 33% Friulano, and 26% Chardonnay. 12.4% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2021 Massican “Annia” White Blend, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of yellow herbs and white flowers, Asian pears, and lemon zest. In the mouth, lemon zest, chamomile, and white flowers mix with Asian pear and citrus pith. Crisp and bright with excellent acidity and a wet chalkboard minerality that leaves the finish chalky in texture. A blend of 51% Friulano, 33% Ribolla Gialla, and 16% Chardonnay. 12% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2020 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers and pears, with a hint of green apple. In the mouth, green apple, pear, and white floral notes mix with a wet-pavement minerality. Very good acidity. Fresh and bright. A blend of 61% Friulano, 27% Ribolla Gialla, 12% Chardonnay. 12.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2019 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers and Asian pears. In the mouth, white flowers and Asian pear flavors have a nice crisp brightness to them and a floral quality that lingers through a long finish with wet-chalkboard minerality. Stony and even crystalline in aspect. A blend of 53% Friulano, 39% Ribolla Gialla, and 8% Chardonnay. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2018 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, Asian pear, and white flowers. In the mouth, bright lemon pith and white flowers mix with Asian pear and a stark, wet-chalkboard minerality that leaves a chalky texture in the finish. Excellent acidity. A blend of 48% Friulano, 41% Ribolla Gialla, and 11% Chardonnay. 12.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2017 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel, chamomile, and honeysuckle. In the mouth, Asian pear and honeysuckle flavors mix with bee pollen and dried herbs. Bright and juicy with lemon peel lingering in the finish. A blend of 55% Ribolla Gialla, 39% Friulano, and 6% Chardonnay. 12.4% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2016 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and white flowers with hints of yellow herbs. In the mouth, wonderfully crystalline flavors of citrus pith, yellow flowers, and white flowers swirl on the palate. This wine is quite ethereal and quartz-like in its minerality. A blend of 60% Ribolla Gialla, 31% Friulano, and 9% Chardonnay. 12.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2015 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel and white flowers mixed with Asian pear and chamomile. In the mouth, wet-pavement minerality shines through lemon pith, Asian pear, and chamomile flavors. Notes of white flowers linger in the finish along with citrus pith and that wet chalkboard stoniness. A blend of 45% Friulano, 41% Ribolla Gialla, and 14% Chardonnay. 12.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2014 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of yellow herbs, lemon peel, and white flowers. In the mouth, yellow herbs, chamomile, honeysuckle, and Asian pear mix with a touch of bee pollen. Excellent acidity and wet-chalkboard minerality. A blend of 45% Friulano, 32% Chardonnay, and 23% Ribolla Gialla. 12.2% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2013 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light gold in color, this wine smells of yellow herbs, citrus pith, and chamomile. In the mouth, yellow herbs, lemon peel, Asian pear, and white flowers have a wonderful, swirling bright acidity and wet pavement minerality. Fresh and bright. A blend of 44% Friulano, 36% Ribolla Gialla, and 20% Chardonnay. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2012 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon peel, and chamomile. In the mouth, honeysuckle and pear flavors mix with chamomile and wet chalkboard. Supple and filigreed. A blend of 46% Ribolla Gialla, 36% Friulano, and 18% Chardonnay. 12.7% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2011 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, yellow herbs, and wet pavement. In the mouth, yellow flowers and wet pavement mix with lemon peel, chamomile, and bee pollen. Crisp acidity makes for a juicy package with a distinct underlying wet-pavement minerality. A blend of 54% Friulano, 33% Ribolla Gialla, and 13% Chardonnay. 12.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2010 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of flowers, candied lemon, and chamomile. In the mouth, chamomile tea with honey mixes with lemon peel, yellow herbs, and a lovely filigreed acidity. Long finish. A blend of 47% Friulano, 33% Ribolla Gialla, and 20% Chardonnay. 12.1% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2009 Massican “Annia” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and white flowers with hints of bee pollen. In the mouth, yellow herbs and white flowers mix with pears and citrus pith. Silky texture, softening acidity. A blend of 44% Friulano, 29% Ribolla Gialla, and 27% Chardonnay. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

Gemina

Gemina is a wine that has wandered a bit in its quest for an identity beside Massican’s flagship, Annia. It began its life as a blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio, spent a few years in the wilderness as a pure Chardonnay, staked its claim as a Pinot-Grigio-dominated blend, flirted with an identity of Pinot Bianco, and lately has settled into a groove as a blend of Greco Bianco (most people would know it as Greco di Tufo) and some secondary Italian varieties. Confusing? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely. The latest incarnation has ditched Pinot Bianco altogether in favor of Falanghina and Fiano, which seems to me to be the best combination yet.

2023 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Light yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of candied lemon peel, pomelo pith, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, bright lemon oil and lemon pith flavors mix with grapefruit and a hint of white flowers. Crisp, bright, and delicious with hints of bee pollen and yellow herbs that emerge in the finish. A blend of 60% Greco Bianco, 23% Falanghina, and 17% Fiano. 12% alcohol Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2021 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of citrus pith and green apple, with a hint of white flowers. In the mouth, tart and juicy green apple and white flowers mix with citrus peel and a bright lemon juice note that lingers through a long finish with green apple skin. Excellent acidity. A blend of 75% Pinot Bianco and 25% Greco Bianco (known in Italy as Greco di Tufo). 12.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2020 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon pith with a hint of pink grapefruit. In the mouth, silky flavors of pink grapefruit and white flowers mix with green apples and a hint of wet pavement. Good acidity. Nice hint of citrus zest in the finish. A blend of 75% Pinot Bianco and 25% Greco Bianco. 12.1% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2019 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Pale gold in the glass with a faint haze to it, this wine smells of honeysuckle and a hint of green apple. In the mouth, softer, silkier flavors of white flowers, lemon pith, and a hint of green apple skin don’t have as much acidity as I would like. A blend of 74% Pinot Bianco and 26% Greco Bianco. 13% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2017 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Palest greenish gold in the glass to the point of being near colorless, this wine smells of lime skin and green apples. In the mouth, stony flavors of green apple and lime zest mix with wet chalkboard. Very good acidity. Notes of green apple skin linger in the finish. A blend of 77% Pinot Grigio and 23% Greco Bianco. 12% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2016 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apples, pears, and white flowers. In the mouth, bright green apple and pear flavors mix with lime and lime leaf as hints of lemon cucumber linger in the finish. Excellent acidity. A blend of 79% Pinot Grigio and 21% Greco Bianco. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2015 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Pale gold in the glass with a hint of green, this wine smells of pears, star fruit, and citrus oil. In the mouth bright green apple and pear flavors mix with white flowers. Notes of green apple skin turn sour and mouthwatering in the finish, with a nice hint of salinity. Excellent acidity. A blend of 69% Pinot Grigio and 31% Greco Bianco. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2014 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of pears and lemon oil. In the mouth, fantastically bright lemon oil flavors mix with a touch of pear and white flowers, but the overwhelming flavor is the intense citrus oil that lingers through a long finish. Very good acidity. A blend of 71% Greco Bianco and 29% Pinot Grigio. 13.3% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2013 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale yellow gold in color, this wine smells of citrus pith and pomelo. In the mouth, tangy sour lemon pith and pomelo juice mix with a wet chalkboard minerality that lingers with a chalky texture in the finish. This vintage consists of 100% Chardonnay from the Hyde Vineyard. 13.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2012 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon pith. In the mouth, silky flavors of white flowers and lemon pith mix with a hint of pomelo. A light chalky grip emerges in the finish. This vintage consists of 100% Chardonnay from the Hyde Vineyard. 13.8% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2011 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel and lemon pith. In the mouth, bright lemon peel and lemon oil flavors have a lean, almost angular quality. Lightly chalky texture. Good acidity. Sour, tangy finish. This vintage consists of 100% Chardonnay from the Hyde Vineyard. 13.6% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2010 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and white flowers. In the mouth, fresh lemon and white flowers mix with a hint of yellow herbs and a bright dash of pink grapefruit that surfaces in the finish. Delicious. A blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Ribolla Gialla. 14% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2009 Massican “Gemina” White Blend, California
Pale yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet leaves, dried citrus peel, and chamomile. In the mouth, chamomile and yarrow flavors mix with dried herbs and a hint of citrus. Fading a bit, but still with very good acidity. A blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Chardonnay, and 20% Ribolla Gialla. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

Hyde Chardonnay

After sourcing Chardonnay from the famed Hyde Vineyard in Napa for his Gemina blend (which would briefly be the home for a 100% Chardonnay), Petrosky decided that he needed to simply bottle the Chardonnay on its own, which he has done since the 2014 vintage. The wine is made in a lean and vibrant style that fits perfectly into the portfolio.

2023 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon pith, and a hint of pineapple and melted butter. In the mouth, tangy lemon curd flavors mix with lemon oil and pink grapefruit as a lightly bitter toasted nut quality emerges in the finish. Excellent acidity and brightness. 12.8% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2021 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel and lemon pith with a hint of green apple. In the mouth, green apple, lemon peel, and white flowers also have a hint of toasted oak to them. Bright and crisp with excellent acidity. The long stony finish is scented with oak. Give this wine a little time to absorb the wood a bit more. 13% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2020 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel, green apple, and white flowers. In the mouth, lemon peel and lemon pith mix with pink grapefruit and a hint of green apple. Bright and juicy with fantastically bright acidity that makes the mouth water. Long lime-and-lemon finish. 13.2% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2019 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon pith, and lemon curd. In the mouth, aromatic lemon peel, white flowers, and lemon curd flavors have a wet-chalkboard minerality and lovely stony resonance. Excellent acidity and notes of white flowers linger in the finish along with faintly bitter citrus peel notes. 13.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2017 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon pith. In the mouth, lemon pith and lemon curd mix with white flowers and wet chalkboard minerality. Good length and chalky texture in the finish. Excellent acidity.13.9% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2016 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon pith. In the mouth, lemon pith and white flowers have a bright stoniness to them and crisp minerality. Somewhat narrow in its expression at the moment, but clean and bright with excellent acidity. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2015 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon oil, and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, bright lemon curd and lemon peel flavors mix with grapefruit pith. Nice acidity and a faint chalky minerality. 13.3% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2014 Massican “Hyde Vineyard” Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon oil and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, grapefruit, lemon oil, and lemon pith flavors have bright acidity and a wonderful ethereal length. Excellent acidity. Long finish. 13% alcohol. Score: around 9.

Sauvignon Blanc

Before he started Massican Petroski never would have believed that Sauvignon Blanc would be the gateway drug for his wine brand, but it continues to be the highest-selling, most requested, and most recognized piece of his portfolio. Made in a lime-encrusted, zingy style, it certainly stands apart from most California Sauvignon Blancs, hewing much closer to a bottle you’d find in Friuli or Alto Adige. It’s a perennial favorite in my household and seems to disappear as soon as it comes through the front door, often never even making it to the wine cellar.

2023 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, California
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of passionfruit, green apple, and cut grass. In the mouth, silky flavors of candied green apple, passionfruit, and kiwi have a bright snappiness thanks to excellent acidity. A hint of herbal cut grass lingers in the finish with just a tiny hint of salinity that makes the mouth water. 12.9% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2022 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, California
Near colorless in the glass, this wine smells of passionfruit, green apple, and white flowers. In the mouth, bright green apple and passionfruit flavors have a hint of cut grass and lime zest. Bright lime juice and fantastic acidity linger in the finish with green apples. 13% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2019 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, green apples, and wet pavement. In the mouth, lime zest and green apple mix with white flowers and grapefruit as electric acidity lingers mouthwateringly in the finish with a faint hint of salinity. 13.3% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2018 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold to the point of being near colorless in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, passionfruit, and green apple. In the mouth, green apple and white flowers mix with passionfruit and kiwi notes as bright chalky acidity lingers electrically through a long finish. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2017 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lime zest, and green apple. In the mouth, silky-textured green apple and lime flavors mix with a touch of passionfruit and kiwi. Crisp and bright with excellent acidity. 13.7% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2016 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold in color, this wine smells of dried apples and citrus. In the mouth, dried apple, green apple, and citrus zest mix with a chalky texture and very good acidity. 13.8% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2015 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple and wet chalkboard with hints of lime zest. In the mouth, green apple, lime, and wet chalkboard have a bright faintly saline quality. Fantastic acidity. Bright, lean, and delicious. 13.4% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2014 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple and lime zest with hints of white flowers. In the mouth, tart green apple and lime zest flavors mix with lemon pith and wonderfully bright acidity. Chalky, deeply mineral in quality with excellent acidity. 13.9% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2013 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest greenish-gold in the glass, this wine smells of citrus peel and green apple. In the mouth, bright citrus peel and green apple flavors mix with lime and lime juice and wet stones. Still nice and bright. 14.1% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2012 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Pale greenish-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon and lime. In the mouth softer acidity makes lemon and lime flavors mix somewhat heavily and silkily with green apple. Somewhat plush in quality at this point, which is not what I want from Sauvignon Blanc really. A chalkiness sneaks into the finish. 13.7% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2011 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Near colorless in the glass, this wine smells of celery and lettuce with a hint of lemon and lime. In the mouth, lime zest and pith mix with a hint of lettuce and herbs. Decent acidity, but definitely odd, perhaps suffering from a very cool year. 13.8% alcohol. Score: between 8 and 8.5.

2010 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of dried apples and citrus peel. In the mouth, bright acidity enlivens flavors of dried apple and lemon zest. Hints of dried herbs in the finish. 13.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2009 Massican Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of baked apples and herbs. In the mouth, dried apples and herbs still have decent acidity but feel a bit tired. 14.1% alcohol. Score: around 8.

Petroski created some private-label wines for the famed San Francisco restaurant Acquerello and its sister venue 1760, and so these were also included for the sake of completeness.

2019 Massican “Acquerello” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Pale gold with a hint of green, this wine smells of green apple and kiwi. In the mouth, green apple, lime zest, and lime leaf mix with a touch of unripe kiwi fruit. Notes of green apple skin linger in the finish. This is a bottling made exclusively for Acquarello Restaurant in San Francisco. 13.3% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2018 Massican “1760” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Palest gold in the glass the the point of being near colorless, this wine smells of passionfruit and green apple. In the mouth, green apple, lime zest, and passionfruit flavors have a bright juiciness thanks to excellent acidity, and a faint chalky texture lingers in the finish. This is a bottling made exclusively for Acquarello Restaurant in San Francisco. 13.5% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9.

2016 Massican “1760” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and golden apple skin with a hint of dried white tea. In the mouth, lemon and lime peel mix with white tea and pomelo pith, with a hint of green apple in the finish. Decent acidity but fading a bit. This is a bottling made exclusively for Acquerello Restaurant in San Francisco. 13.8% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2015 Massican “1760” Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet leaves and dried citrus peel. In the mouth, baked apple and citrus peel feel a bit faded. The acidity is softer here now. This is a bottling made exclusively for Acquerello Restaurant in San Francisco. 13.8% alcohol. Score: around 8.

The Italians

For a few years, Petroski had the idea to make some wine in Italy, creating something of an Italian mirror for his Annia flagship blend that he called Gaspare. The effort was short-lived, but the wines were pretty good.

2018 Massican Friulano, Colli Orientali, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and pears. In the mouth, silky flavors of white flowers and Asian pears have a faint pastry cream quality to them, with a distinct Fior di Latte note. Softer acidity. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 8.5.

2017 Massican “Gaspare” White Blend, Colli Orientali, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Palest gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, yellow herbs, bee pollen, and honey. In the mouth, silky flavors of lemon peel, white flowers, bee pollen, and chamomile mix with a hint of dried honey. Very good acidity and length with a chalky mineral undertone. A blend of 44% Friulano, 39% Chardonnay, and 27% Ribolla Gialla. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2016 Massican “Gaspare” White Blend, Colli Orientali, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and yellow herbs. In the mouth, chamomile and lemon zest mix with white flowers and grapefruit pith. Bright with a faint pastry cream note. A blend of 43% Friulano, 29% Chardonnay, and 28% Ribolla Gialla. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.

2015 Massican “Gaspare” White Blend, Colli Orientali, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Italy
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of yellow herbs, citrus, and a hint of melon. In the mouth, chamomile and yellow herbs mix with white flowers and a pastry cream note with a touch of vanilla. Softer acidity here. I think this wine is fading a bit. A blend of 40% Chardonnay, 35% Ribolla Gialla, and 25% Friulano. 12.5% alcohol. Score: between 8 and 8.5.

The Collabs

The retrospective tasting didn’t showcase a growing set of wines that I have a great fondness for. These collaborations between Massican and some of the winemakers he knows and loves around the world are akin to asking a fellow musician to cover one of your songs. The chosen winemaker decides what kind of wine they are going to make in a Massican style, and then Dan pays for the the grapes and bottles the wine when it’s done. So far he’s done collaborations with winemakers in Oregon, California, Australia, and Italy. I’ve only had the chance to taste a couple of them, but they’re generally a lot of fun, and I encourage curious readers to seek them out.