April 2012
Tasting Massican with Wines.com (David White, Terroirist)
A video review of the 2010 Annia.
March 2012
Food & Wine - April Issue - Oenotri's Cal-Ital Recipes from Napa
Wine Pairings: 2010 Massican Annia: Dan Petroski's fragrant, minerally white blends Chardonnay with Italian varieties Tocai Friulano and Ribolla Gialla.
February 2012
Terroirist - A Daily Wine Blog - Weekly Interview
Each week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses questions to a winemaker. This week we a featuring Dan Petroski, Associate Winemaker at Larkmead making rich, finesse-driven reds. Dan also has his own project, Massican, where he churns out small batches of Friulian-style whites based on Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonny, and Sauvignon Blanc. Both are from the great valley of Napa.
Born and raised a New Yorker, Dan moved to Italy in 2005 after nine years working in magazine publishing at Time Inc. While there, he lived in Catania, Sicily for one year working with the family that owns Valle dell'Acate.
In 2006, Dan came back to the States to find a job in wine sales and marketing in New York. Nothing was available; so he continued his wine apprecenticeship with Andy Smith at DuMOL who asked Dan to come on board full-time at Larkmead in late 2006. Dan has been working in the cellar at Larkmead ever since, and launched Massican with the 2009 vintage with the desire to make spirited white wines that reminded him of his time in Italy.
Click here to read the full interview.
December 2011
San Francisco Chronicle - Top 100 Wines of 2011 (Jon Bonne)
2010 Massican Annia: "Dan Petroski's personal project (by day he's making wine at Larkmead) would be interesting just for its unusual blends, but the Annia has come into its own as a serious wine. A mix of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay, it's nearly electric with alpine flowers, ripe almond and Meyer lemon. This time there's notably dense flavor and extract, matched by dramatic acidity from the cool vintage."
December 2011
Terroirist - A Daily Wine Blog (David White)
2010 Massican Annia - 11 Most Memorable Wines of the Year - It'd be too easy to pretend that this Napa Valley white - an inspired-by northeastern-Italy blend of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Chardonnay - is a simple wine. But it's not. The wine is light yet dense; sweet yet tart; elegant yet extracted. The wine is difficult to find (just 235 cases are produced), so join the mailing list.
August 28, 2011
San Francisco Chronicle - "A New Age for California White Wine" (Jon Bonne)
"Then there's the Massican label, run by Dan Petroski, who makes wine for Larkmead. His Gemina blend pairs the flesh of Napa Chardonnay with the twang of Ribolla, while his Annia is dominated by the floral aromas of Tocai Friulano and Ribolla."
From the notebook: 2010 Massican Gemina Napa Valley White Wine: While Dan Petroski's Annia blend is more unique, this mix of Chardonnay (80%) and Ribolla Gialla is a plusher counterpoint. Aged in neutral oak, it brims with Chardonnay's pear-tinged fruit, plus green melon, thyme and Ribolla's electric acidity, which adds a pleasing bite.
August 4, 2011
San Francisco Chronicle - "Food & Wine Newsletter" (Jon Bonne)
2010 Massican Annia - Wine of the Week - "Dan Petroski, one of our Winemakers to Watch in 2010, has unveiled his 2010 lineup of steely, complex Napa wines. Petroski makes the Massican wines with Italy's Friuli in mind, and this mix of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay is a perfect frame for his work. The icicle-like edge of the rare Ribolla grape comes through, giving impressions of alpine flowers, ripe almond and Meyer lemon. It offers that elusive mix in a white: flavor that's big but not heavy. And it furthers Petroski's mission of showing a new style of Napa white."
July 22, 2011
SF Weekly - SF Foodie Wine Blog (W. Blake Gray)
Massican Winemaker Came from Sports Illustrated for Kids: "Petroski's results are impressive. I loved the Massican Annia Napa Valley White Wine 2010 ($47 on the list at Bar Tartine), and the Massican Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($59) as well. The Annia packs a lot of melon and lime and dried pineapple fruit onto a lean frame with plenty of minerality. The Sauvignon Blanc has a focused lime flavor with a hint of minerality on the finish, and has the restraint he's shooting for, even at a more normal 13.9 percent alcohol."
July 20, 2011
SF Weekly (W. Blake Gray)
Bar Tartine Wine List - If It's Porn, it's European Porn. "(Alex) Fox and I both adore the Massican Annia Napa Valley White Wine 2010 ($47), a blend of 47 percent Tocai Fruliano, 33 percent Ribolla Gialla, and 20 percent Chardonnay. On the first sip you notice the minerality, unusual for a Napa white, and the lean, refreshing profile of a wine that's just 12.1 percent alcohol. But on subsequent sips you notice just how much melon and lime and dried pineapple fruit it packs onto its lean frame.
"It really is a Napa white, but in its own way," Fox says. "It has all the fruit. It just isn't hanging out all over the place." I think this was when we started talking about porn. And I think I'm going to end this post right here."
July 18, 2011
Terroirist - A Daily Wine Blog (David White)
2010 Massican Gemina - Wine of the Week: "An inspired-by northeastern-Italy blend of 80% Chardonnay, 20% Ribolla Gialla, the wine was absolutely delicious. And surprisingly, it hit its peak as after about two hours out of the fridge. "Seductive" doesn't begin to describe how captivated I was by the nose (light and floral yet sweet yet tart - absolutely incredible). Paired with with some fresh-caught rockfish and softshell crab from Maryland's Western Shore."
June 29, 2011
V.I.P. Table Blog (Eric Guido)
Is it Napa or Friuli? Neither. It's Massican. "Now on its second vintage, Massican has succeeded in showing that lightning can strike twice. Headed up by Dan Petroski (of Larkmead Vineyards) and sourcing its fruit from around Napa Valley, Massican strives to show the world that California is capable of creating white wines of verve, rooted in the earth, and electric on the palate."
June 24, 2011
Table Hopper (SF) - Summer Re-Wined (Alex Fox)
2010 Massican Annia: "Don't be a hater, not all Napa Valley whites taste like the wine equivalent of a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. This 230-case production offering from Dan Petroski, the associate winemaker at Larkmead, pays homage to the high-altitude, aromatic white blends from northeastern Italy. This crisp, mineral-driven wine absolutely shimmers with aromas of orange blossom and green melon, followed by melon, apple skin, and green almond notes on the palate."
Summer 2011
Edible Magazine - Summer in a Glass (Dan Petroski, Winemaker)
2010 Massican Annia: "Annia is named after my mother, who descended from Emilio Azzue, who was born in the foothills of Mount Massico in Italy's Campania region. The wine takes on a Southern Italian naming convention but is entirely Northeastern Italian in style. I gained awareness of the white wines of Italy's Friuli region while living in Italy in 2005 and 2006. When I moved back to the [United] States and out to California, I left behind fond memories of the Italian food and wine culture.
"Over the years, with trips back to Italy being fewer and farther in between, my memories turned to yearnings. And with a lack of these Friulian wines imported to the States, let alone making their way to California, I was fortunate to find a few out-of-the-way vineyards planted to Tocai Friulano and Ribolla Gialla, and I decided to make the wines I wanted to drink. The Tocai planted in 1947 sits amongst 100-year-old Zinfandel vines in Chiles Valley. From my accounts, there are less than 10 sites planted to Tocai in California. The Ribolla came available when George Vare decided to open up his private property to a crop of young, eager winemakers wanting a crack at making wine from one of the most tannic white grape varieties.
"George's vineyard, planted in [the] early 2000's while he was still working with Luna, sits at the base of the Mayacamas mountain range in Oak Knoll. Only three acres are planted and may be considered the only planting of Ribolla Gialla in the United States. The Chardonnay that rounds out the Annia blend is used to bring us to a place of familiarity in the blend."
April 28, 2011
Weekly Wine Pick - Wine Picks by Wine Pros (Dennis Kelly, Head Sommelier, The French Laundry told to Derek Swanson)
2009 Massican Annia: "Dennis Kelly, sommelier at The French Laundry, recommended a beautiful white wine to us over two years ago. The Riesling from Stony Hill Vineyard is an atypical varietal of Napa, and a wonderful example of what winemakers can do when they push the limits of terroir. The capacity for such a recommendation is the one reason Mr. Kelly is head sommelier at America's best restaurant. When we recently asked him what he has been drinking these days, he was inspired to offer the following insights on another Napa white:
"While Massican takes its name from a coastal mountain range in southern Italy, proprietor and winemaker Dan Petroski draws his inspiration from the blended wines of Friuli in the eastern hills of northern Italy.
"His white wine "annia" is a blend of dry-farmed Friulano from sixty-three year old vines, a floral "Muscat Clone" of Chardonnay from Carneros and Ribolla Gialla (Yellow Ribolla) from legendary Napa Valley Italian grape aficionado George Vare. Mr. Vare's famed vineyard, planted in metamorphic soils at the base of Mount Veeder, is the only known planting of Ribolla in the country and provides grapes to some of the finest winemakers in the Napa Valley._With subtle honeysuckle and orange-blossom notes mingling with aromas of white peach and Bosc pear, "annia" is quite fragrant. When the wine hits the palate the fresh citrus flavors provide laser-like focus and impressive length._"The bright, crisp style and modest 12.8% alcohol level make this wine the ideal compliment for salad and seafood courses at The French Laundry. The bad news? With only 238 cases of this wine produced, I expect that it will be sold-out in a Milan-minute.
"Chef Thomas Keller's The French Laundry has garnered world-wide acclaim from every leading lifestyle publication and newspaper. It is an icon. To some it is the equivalent of Mecca. I began my pilgrimage 6 weeks ago when I called for a reservation and was placed on the waiting list. I booked my flights and hotel, with faith that I would show up at the gate and be deemed worthy. The stars aligned and a cancellation 3 days prior to my Saturday visit secured me a table, and I will get to enjoy Mr. Kelly's recommendation personally."
January 16, 2011
San Francisco Chronicle (Amanda Gold)
Dan Petroski - Winemaker to Watch: "After nearly a decade working in publishing in New York, he decided he'd rather make wine. Just five years later, Petroski is not only associate winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Calistoga, but he moonlights with his own label, Massican, which makes white blends in the style of Italy's Friuli region."
From the notebook: 2009 Massican Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc: Though Petroski shines with white blends, Friuli - like Napa - also has a proud tradition of straight Sauvignon. Aged in neutral oak and stainless steel barrels, here's a perfect split between opulence and austerity. Expressive and herby, with aromas of lime curd and wheatgrass, and a peachy richness.
2009 Massican Annia Napa Valley White Wine: The Annia is a compelling, always-shifting composition of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay. Marked by a quiet intensity, it might be almondy in one moment, then saline and full of lemon confit or floral accents.
December 2010
San Francisco Chronicle - Top 100 Wines of 2010 (Jon Bonne)
2009 Massican Annia: "When not at his day job at Larkmead, Dan Petroski is busy redefining Napa's whites. This blend of Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay has a quiet intensity and nuanced flavors that evolve in the glass. In spots it might reveal an almondy side, with lemon confit and sea salt, or a lively floral tone. Tense, fresh and almost demanding to be paired with food."
November 6, 2010
Wall Street Journal - On Wine (Jay McInerney)
Napa's Retro Dudes: "Dan Petroski, works by day at Larkmead, one of Napa's premier producers, but he's off duty now. Mr. Petroski, who studied winemaking in Sicily before moving to Napa, has a personal winemaking project, Massican, named after a mountain range in the southern Italian region of Campania and produces crisp, intensely flavored white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Ribolla Gialla and Viognier. And he has a band of brothers engaged in similarly arcane winemaking ventures.
"[One] of the most intriguing and delicious wines in recent memory, some of them bracingly fresh and floral, like Petroski's '09 Gemina, a Viognier/Chardonnay blend."
September 14, 2010
SF Gate Inside Scoop - On Wine (Jon Bonne)
Pushing the White-Wine Envelope: "Neither of the Massican blends, the Annia (Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonnay) and Gemina (Viognier, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla) are exactly Friulian in their nature, but Petroski says he wanted to work in the Friulian mold of winemaking rather than to present the wines as Friulian. In part that meant crafting wines in mostly old barrels and giving them time on their lees to build their texture. That focus on texture and weight stems from witnessing the Italians drink white wines with meat; Petroski recalls one of his best wine pairings ever being a Friulian white paired with venison.
"One thing Petroski did was to block malolactic fermentation for the wines, in part to keep them fresh and preserve acidity, and in part because he needed them on the market quickly. ("I don't have the money to keep wine in barrel for years," he says.) So texturally the blends waver a bit between an innate richness and a sometimes stark presence on the palate. There's also a very good varietal Sauvignon Blanc that does hold echoes of the profound, mineral-packed Friulian style of that grape.
"Mostly Petroski wants to preserve the unusual, innate nature of these grapes - that almondy, salty presence Ribolla can show, or the big floral rush Friulano can provide.
"I think we have an amazing ability in California to adulterate grapes, to not make them what they are," he says. "My goal was to be true to the grapes, to be true to their aromatic profile."
September 12, 2010
San Francisco Chronicle (Jon Bonne)
Ribolla Gialla: An Agent for Change in White Wine: "Some of Vare's Ribolla also found its way into the hands of Dan Petroski, who by day crafts Cabernet for Larkmead in Calistoga but in his free time is launching his own new label, Massican, which offers a range of white wines. The Ribolla lands in two of Petroski's blends; in the 2009 Annia it's combined with Tocai Friulano and Chardonnay, while in the 2009 Gemina it's mixed with Viognier and Chardonnay. It's often in a blend that Ribolla finds its best place, even in Friuli.
"Petroski and Vare campaigned the feds to legitimize Ribolla as a U.S. varietal. And Petroski still recalls his encounter with Vare vividly. The wine veteran had but one request: Help make a name for Ribolla Gialla in the United States. "It was like Patton in Africa," recounts Petroski."
"For Petroski, the addition of Ribolla to Friulano from 63-year-old vines in Chiles Valley - those two grapes are a classic matchup in Friuli - adds a needed vibrancy. That in particular is a selling point for Ribolla. If Napa can be a tough place to make lively white wines - witness the standard-issue Chardonnay profile - there's an innate appeal in the freshness provided by Ribolla's acidity."
From the notebook: 2009 Massican Annia Napa Valley White Wine: A bit of a shape-shifter. Almondy at moments, with lemon confit and sea salt, and a lively floral tone. Fresh and a bit austere, there's a quiet intensity to it that almost commands food.
March 31, 2010
V.I.P. Table Blog (Eric Guido)
Massican: Passion in a Bottle: "Owned and operated by winemaker, Dan Petroski, Massican is a very limited production boutique operation from Napa Valley. Dan, who honed his skills in Italy at Valle Del'Acate and then as the associate winemaker for Larkmead Vineyards, is truly a man driven by passion. Listening to him speak about these wines is like hearing a love song that speaks to your heart."
Summer 2010
Edible Magazine - Summertime Wines (David Katz and David Stevens)
2009 Massican Annia: "Dan Petroski, who was first inspired by the crisp, lean wines of Northeastern Italy, stated in no uncertain terms that he
wants to show what white wines can be made in the Napa
Valley. He believes that the heat in the Napa Valley accentuates
the varietal character of the grapes. He picks early in
order to retain great acidity and keep flavors subtle. Accordingly,
the alcohol level of his wine is quite low-12.8%. Dan
also produces a blend of Viognier, Chardonnay and Ribolla
Gialla, and a Sauvignon Blanc. He went on to say that goat
cheese and Sauvignon Blanc is his "death bed meal."
March 25, 2010
Snooth (Gregory Dal Piaz)
Massican's First Releases: "Called Massican after the mountain chain in Italy's Campania region -- was only announced in June of last year, but Dan is not one to waste time. These Italian-inspired wines, with the exception of the Sauvignon Blanc, are blends. Both of the blends include Ribolla Gialla, most commonly associated with Italy's Friuli region, and his Annia also includes Tocai Friulano. Both of these are rare enough here in the States, so finding them together in a blend is a bit of a shocker.
"What is more shocking is how great they work together in the Annia. It's really a spectacular wine, and my favorite among the three wines in the Massican line-up. It's crisp and subtle, yet complex and exceptionally refreshing. The Gemina blend is dominated by Viognier, a grape that has never really thrilled me, but Dan's blend works better than most with its light texture and very fresh flavors."
2009 Massican Annia
This is beautifully aromatic with notes of almond, apple blossom, and even a touch of lavender all floating above the slightly chalky toned, yellow fruits. On the palate this possess a gorgeous freshness with brilliant, crisp, almost citrussy fruit with notes of pollen, honey, almond, and crab apple flowing across the palate. The backend picks up some subtle tangerine skin and leads to the long finish with its subtle mineral and slightly bitter tones adding wonderful tension. A beautiful wine and the most exciting domestic white wine I have tasted this year. 93pts.
2009 Gemina
With bright top notes of peach and mineral over a core of white orchard fruits this was a bit of a surprise to me. There were lovely honied and floral tones but the nose seemed to promise a Chardonnay heavy palate. While this was a bit loose on entry it offers a lovely sense of transparency and almost a hint of sweetness on the tongue. The mid-palate gains fine balance and cut with notes of succulent pear balanced by an almost quartzy edged minerality that drove through to the long and persistent finish. The surprise here was the lightness with which this floated across the palate. A really fine effort, and excellent blending of Viognier. 91pts
2009 Sauvignon
A touch of mint greets the nose here followed by a hint of vanilla backed with noticeable green herb and ivy tones. The fruit leans towards the gooseberry end of the spectrum though with green citrus and pineapple undertones. On the palate this is brisk and fresh with softish acidity and low amplitude flavors giving this lush style of Sauvignon Blanc a broad mouth filling appeal. Much less tropically flavored on the palate than one might have guessed from the aromatics with lovely fresh citrus fruit with a nice mineral vein running through to the finish, turning almost a bit steely on the finale. 89pts
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