TN: 2016 Massican Annia (USA, California, Napa Valley)

2016 Massican Annia - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/6/2018)
My first bottle of this wine was on a hot, humid summer day. It brought refreshment, as well as intellectual stimulation.

My second bottle was on a day that could not have been more different. Temperatures were hovering below zero. The house was too cold for red wine. I brought this up from the cellar, and left it on the counter, figuring 58 degrees would be a good serving temperature. Soup was simmering, and I opened the wine to that same mélange of pear, peach skin, herb and saline minerality that graced the first bottle so many days (and degree days) ago. It brought a touch of summer sunshine to a bone chilling winter day. It brought joy. A wine does not need to do anything more.

Posted from CellarTracker

Wow!

I had never heard of that wine, it sounds fabulous!

What an interesting blend: grapes: ribolla gialla – 60%, tocai friulano – 31%, chardonnay – 9%

Your note is perfectly descriptive.

The entire Massican lineup is terrific. I particularly love the Sauvignon Blanc. Made by Dan Petroski of Larkmead.

Agree, the whole lineup is great.

The Hyde Chardonnay is a real gem for me. I am not a SB drinker.

But yes, the lineup is excellent across the board.

I have had very good experiences with the domestic Massican wines I have tried over the past several vintages and look forward to trying the new import project (a Friuli collaboration)

A recent in depth write up in the SF Chronicle was pretty interesting. Maybe I misread the intent or have developed a skewed perspective from all of the polemics of the current wine world, but it seemed to be simultaneously flattering (winemaker of the year!) and throwing a bit of shade (the wines are stylized and atypical!). Interested to hear if others read it this way

I did not perceive the shade.

Thanks for the TN, David!

Awesome! Massican wines are wonderful.

Jason

I tried a similar blend of theirs from Friuli and it was delicious over three nights. 2015 vintage Gaspari. I guess they have a partnership with a winery over there, and produce wines from the two countries under the Massican label? Sorry if this has been discussed before.

I have a note on the Gaspare around here somewhere. It is very nice indeed.

His Sblanc in my opinion is one of the best made in the US. and on top of that there is not a nicer guy in napa than Dan. Btw those Larkmead wines are Awesome too

+1 on the Sauvignon Blanc. All vintages

First post-
Both the Gaspare and Annia are lovely wines (I have not tried the SB) and Dan is a really good dude-
I bought 6 bottles direct (not enough wine to warrant much attention) but attention I got. They mistakenly shipped the wines during a heat wave (as the wines are affordable, I was not concerned and never complained) and Dan personally emailed me numerous times to apologize and offer to remedy the situation by sending me an additional shipment when the weather cools.

Over and beyond customer service and really enjoyable wine- I am in for the long term.

Dan also answers questions pretty much any time, even during harvest!

Swung by the locker today and saw the 2014 Annia sitting there. Soon it will be a dead soldier. It was my Massican epiphany wine.

Jason

I started with 2015.

Had for first time at passionfish. Everything o have had from them has been stellar
I think he is making beer and vermouth too

You guys piqued my interest so I signed up for his mailing list. He sent an email inquiring how I had come across his wines. I mentioned this board and Cellartracker. Then I mentioned Berserker Day, he reached out to Todd. I told him it would be great to see an offer. Fingers crossed.

Yes!