2015 Massican Gaspare

Massican is one of Napa Valley’s makers of “new white wines.” Along with some other younger, independent- minded winemakers, Massican’s founder Dan Petroski champions old world grapes ignored by new world producers. Massican is known for white wines inspired by the whites of Friuli in northeastern Italy, and Petroski uses Ribolla Gialla and Tocai Friulano, among other old world varietals. A native of Brooklyn, Petroski went to business school and worked in magazine publishing before consummating his love affair with Italian wines by traveling through Italy and working a grape harvest in Sicily. Back in the U.S. he moved to California and took jobs as a cellar rat and intern before rising to winemaker at Larkmead, where he remains part of the winemaking team and makes mostly red wines. In 2009 he was offered a rare harvest of California Ribolla Gialla, which became the basis of his debut release blend. The name Massican is a tribute to the Monte Massico mountain range in southern Italy, where his great grandfather grew up. Massican also makes widely admired Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, often in blends with the Italian varietals.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is the most northeasterly region of Italy, bordered by Austria on the north, Slovenia to the east, and the Italian Veneto to the west. Given its history as a political and cultural crossroads, it is no wonder that the wines and cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia reflect Italian, Austrian, French and eastern European traditions. The region is best known for its white wines, and specializes in the native Tocai Friulano, a white grape that produces plush dry wines with fruit flavors balanced by minerals and acidity. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignnon Blanc, and Chardonnay area also grown, along with the native grapes Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Istriana. Artisanal producers in the region also make white blends, called “super whites,” which are generally distinctive blends of native grapes and Chardonnay. However nearly 40% of Friuli-Venezia Giulia wines are red. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown, along with the native grapes Refosco, Pignolo and Schioppettino, which is also called Ribolla Nera. The region has 46,000 vineyard acres, of which 60% is classified as DOC. There are nine DOCs.