Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Massican – White Blend 2016
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Massican has become Napa’s benchmark for Italian-inspired whites, and the 2016 vintage shows why. Crafted from an unconventional blend of Ribolla Gialla (60%), Tokai Friulano (31%), and Chardonnay (9%), it brings a Friulian soul to California sunshine. This is not your typical Napa white—rather, it’s a wine with structure, texture, and an old-world sense of ageability.

Aromas & Flavors
On the nose, layers of pear, yellow apple, chamomile, and almond skin mingle with subtle honey and dried herbs. The palate leans savory and complex: citrus oil, quince, and stone fruit wrapped in saline minerality, finishing with a faint oxidative lift that adds intrigue.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a broad, waxy texture that still feels fresh thanks to bright acidity. The oxidative tension on the back end gives it depth and a slightly nutty echo that lingers.

Winemaking Notes
Dan Petroski’s minimalist approach—native yeast fermentation, neutral oak, and stainless steel—keeps the focus on texture and authenticity, allowing Ribolla Gialla and Friulano to shine in an unusual Napa setting.

Food Pairing
Ideal with richer seafood (lobster, scallops), roasted chicken, creamy risottos, or alpine cheeses. Its savory edges make it versatile across Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.

Verdict
A fascinating white blend that breaks the mold of Napa Valley. Complex, age-worthy, and distinctive—showing that California can excel beyond Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. A bottle for explorers who appreciate texture as much as fruit.

Personal Highlight
Massican remains one of my favorite Napa whites, because it dares to break tradition. This 2016 shows the brilliance of Ribolla Gialla and Friulano outside their native Friuli—delivering a wine with personality, depth, and an unforgettable edge. Cheers! — 10 months ago

monica

9.0

Molt equilibrat, fruits vermells, bastant cos. Excel-lent relació preu 16 euros a botiga — 3 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

Unpasteurised saké, made with a special yeast strain called Cel-24, which reputably brings out a lot of fruity aromas as clearly seen here. Straight out of the bottle, it smelled like sesame oil, yeast and ripe bananas, which developed nicely into estery, exotic fruit aromas with air. Clean and treacly-sweet on the palate, with oodles of exotic fruit flavours - think bananas again, passion fruit, and mangoes. Finishes warm and sweet. Doesn’t quite excel on the drinkability front, yet I was compelled to have about two glasses before I was spent. I felt there was a level of juiciness in the saké despite how rich, ripe, and round it was (kind of like a botrytised Riesling). An excellent end cap to dinner, courtesy of M at C12! — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

Dusty yellow flowers, smoke, crushed stone, nectarine and hints of hazelnut lift up from the 2018 Etna Bianco Gamma, creating a deeply alluring display. It’s soft and textural, balancing ripe orchard fruits against hints of sour green citrus and salty mineral tones. Notes of young mango and peach linger, along with a subtle buzz of residual acidity, all under a pretty air of inner florals. This highly enjoyable Carricante is showing beautifully already, but it should also excel for a number of years in a cold cellar. (Eric Guido, Vinous, June 2021)
— 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Charles strikes again.

I said weeks ago, I’d rather drink Charles Hendricks Pinot in futures @ $75 vs. the 09 Marcassin we had two weeks back @ $150+ winery or $225+ on the secondary market. This 14, while still young, proves that point and will only continue to get better.

It’s about as luxurious as Ca Pinot gets. Just supple, soft & elegant as body gets. Candied, floral fruits of ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, lean purple fruits, dry cranberries, strawberries, plums, delicate but darks spices, cinnamon stick, vanillin, nutmeg & touch clove, salted caramel, mocha powder, limestone & grey volcanics, dry crushed rocks hints of peppered grilled meats, fresh & dry tobacco, dry stems/twigs, sage dominated dry Provence herbs, splash of mint/eucalyptus, tree sap with bright candied, fresh & slightly withering florals of; dark, red, purple, blue set in a field of violets & some lavender. The acidity is perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced & polished, elegant, fresh, just the right amount of candied with a long, dark spice finish in the long set.

The 14 really started to excel after an hour plus in the decanter.

Photos of; the outside of the Hope & Grace tasting room in downtown Yountville where you will find Charles Hendricks wines. He makes Hope & Grace wines as well. One of my favorite paintings that used to sit behind their tasting bar but, is now in Charles house. It is very Pollock like! Winemaker/Co-owner Charles Hendricks and a vineyard in region of the Santa Lucia Highlands. — 6 years ago

Mike Evans

9.5

Purchased on release around 2003 and from the cork code of M251, it appears to have been disgorged September/October 2002. A little nutty and lemony, but with piercing and intense minerality, still fairly young. I've had the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Krugs in the last month or so and this was comparable in quality to the 1996 and drinking better than the 2000 and 2004. A spectacular Champagne and proof of the ageworthiness of the Grande Cuvée, I've had it at least 15 years and have no doubt it will continue to excel for at least another 15.
An added bonus is that it has the beautiful old gold label, which I much prefer to the current iteration, so it looks as good as it tastes. — 8 years ago

with Kevin and Stan

David White

9.2

Actually have developed a wine app for iPhone using the no code Replit app
In cellar tracker I download an excel file of my wines which is uploaded to the wine app and then move sliders and dropdowns in app to select red or white plus varietal plus price range and score range as well as food categories and it will suggest about 5 wines that meet the criteria and then I use an API to ChatGPT to invoke an AI sommelier to suggest best food - wine match serving temperature and other suggestions
This is rough screen shot of the inputs and results for this wine with Pasta
Be interested in any comments or suggestions — a year ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.7

Haven’t had in 3+ years. Nose is waxy. complex, spicey, mineral and so complex Almost a potpourri effect. Yellow fruits. So granitic. Just awesome. Rich, viscous, custardy but also so elegant which is where these wines excel. This is $300 Burgundy elegance with $65 N. Rhone white fruit and minerality, which to be fair is niche. But I am in that niche. So good for me? Long finish. Awesome dry extract. This is amazing. What improvement. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2019 Etna Rosso Allegracore opens with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, yet it then morphs into a wild blend of savory herbs, sour cherries, tangerine and crushed ashen stone. It’s soft-textured, verging on fleshy in feel, yet pure in character, casting mineral-tinged red berries over a core of brisk acidity. This finishes long and lightly structured, while leaving a black tea-like staining upon the senses, all under an air of rosy florals. This varietal Nerello Mascalese is simply stunning today, yet it should also excel through short-term cellaring. (Eric Guido, Vinous, June 2022)
— 4 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.7

I was blown away by this. Typifies "power without weight", which is a prerequisite for greatness in my books. Many thanks to SC for sharing this - a new saké brewery for me and definitely one I'd be looking out for.

Without further ado, SC's notes:

This nihonshu is made from a blend of multiple aged nakagumi junmai daiginjo (40% polishing) that has been aged for 3 years in the brewery and 2 additional years of home ageing.

In the context of Gikyo, this is anomalously poised, refined and subdued in nature. Delicate and extremely well defined as if you could pick out the thread of each scent one by one — Rice, lemongrass, petrichor, mineral, fennel and elderflowers. A bit warmth emanated from the high abv, but very well judged. The tension and persistence here are just incredible, especially for such a delicate nihonshu, not to mention, it has loads of potential to excel even further.  — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2018 Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi mixes crushed violets with hints of blackberry and spice to form an alluring bouquet. This is a feminine and understated effort, showcasing floral-laced woodland berries, minerals and juicy acids. It tapers off clean and poised with lingering notes of sweet plum and licorice. While this vintage doesn’t show the power that I usually associate with this wine, it is a well-balanced expression that will excel at the dinner table. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2021)
— 5 years ago

Stephen Yanchuk

9.6

This is a perfect bubbly to drink alone but will Excel with food. Will eat spicy noodles with second half of the bottle...if the delivery gets here fast enough... — 7 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.1

Also very good. Sojourn excel in cabs and pinots. At Family Winemakers of California Tasting in Del Mar. — 7 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

Maturing nicely, this is in the tertiary zone with pronounced dried red fruits, savory spices and roasted meats, with plenty of iron and volcanic soil notes. The tannin have resolved into a fine and elegant structure. Acidity is intact and well integrated. The flavor intensity is high, elegant, and persistent, very light on its feet as it sails into a long, mature finish.

This will pair perfectly with pasta and lighter fowl, gane or meat dishes. Pastas it will excel with red sauces, pestos or any lighter sauces that are savory with garlic and herbs at their core.

Drink now or hold 5 years more. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of three days. Best on Day 3. The 2011 “Bosconia” pours a ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of sour cherry, dill, leather, dried earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium++ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, elegant and leans towards the bitter side of the spectrum. Good on its own but I think these really excel with food. I’ve probably covered this before in previous TN’s but the wines of LdH might not be for everyone but I find them to be truly special and while there tends to be quite a bit of variation, they are always full of soul. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2019 Soave Classico Monte Carbonare pulls you close with a nuanced mix of spring flowers, ginger and crushed green apple. It soothes the palate through silky textures and a pleasant inner sweetness, with ripe pit fruits and hints of melon motivated by brisk acidity. Nothing is out of place in this elegant and jovial Soave, as it tapers off lightly structured and buzzes with residual tension. While highly enjoyable today, the Monte Carbonare will excel through medium-term cellaring. (Eric Guido, Vinous, April 2022)
— 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2019 Nerello Mascalese Munjebel seduces with a rich and sweetly scented bouquet of crushed black cherries, dried roses and cloves. It’s silky in texture, enveloping all that it touches with ripe red fruits and spices, nicely framed by saturating minerality, as inner violet florals form toward the close. There are tannins here, but they don’t get in the way; instead, they create a perfectly dry platform where notes of lavender, plum and allspice hover above. The Munjebel is a blend of fruit from Frank Cornelissen’s vineyards across the northern valley of Etna. It aims to please, and it will excel at doing so through short-term cellaring. (Eric Guido, Vinous, June 2021)
— 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

I understand why the Heitz Napa Cabernet doesn’t score higher upon release. It simply needs 10 years plus in bottle to excel.

I usually don’t open these until they have been in bottle ten years. However, this was handy when Sofia wanted a glass with dinner twice this week. So, it needed to be finished after I coravined it.

It’s ripe, jammy and lush now. Showing some Welches characteristics this early. Better things ahead. Juicy, somewhat syrupy fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black plums, black raspberries & juicy strawberries. It’s still primary without much integration. Touch of cherry Luden’s, mid dark spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, lighter clove, vanilla, stones, dark, rich earth, tobacco notes, some graphite, shoe leather, sandstone with bright, red, dark, blue florals with violets over the top. Very good round acidity. The finish is still jammy & not fully balanced, elegant and persisting minutes.

Shows promise in fruit, tannins and acidity. Hold another 5-8 years. — 6 years ago

Emiliano Mei

10

Example of how a local red varietal from Mallorca can excel and be as enticing and satisfying as a bold continental wine from the top wine region in the world. Simply unique. Smooth, mellow, dark, deep, complex, with ripe fruit, spices and elegance that will linger for ever on your palate. Sublime. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

One thing I enjoy about Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is their style. They make much better wines than a number of years back. After changing Winemakers, they continue to excel. However, their style has remained intact despite changes.

Chase Creek is normally a member only allocated wine but, I imagine some members have purchased a few bottles.

The nose reveals; used expresso grounds, dark currants, blackberries, dark slightly sour cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, haunting blue fruits, steeped tea, limestone minerals, anise, leather, fresh tobacco, cedar, pronounced herbaceous notes, rich, black turned, earth with dry leaves, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark withering flowers, fresh blue florals with violets.

The body is full and rich. The tannins just getting to nicely resolved with gritty, dusty and tarry stickiness. The big structure, good tension, length and nice balance are just nudging towards its peak. Used expresso grounds, dark currants, blackberries, dark slightly sour cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, a little more blue fruits than the nose, steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry underbrush, anise, dark sweet tarriness, leather, fresh tobacco, cedar, pronounced herbaceous notes, dark asian spices, rich, black, turned, earth with dry leaves, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, mocha powder, caramel, dark withering flowers, fresh blue florals with violets. The acidity is good but, not great. The long finish is big, bold, dark, elegant, well balanced fruit & earth and persistent for several minutes.

This will continue to improve over the next 7–10 years.

Photos of, their newer tasting room and Estate vines, their spotless cellar with the swinging pendulum ball that doesn’t stop, newer tasting room and their Fay Vineyard.
— 7 years ago