Each week, I love spotlighting a wine that truly stands out—whether for its unique personality, compelling backstory, or the sheer joy it brings in the glass. This week’s pick comes from a new-to-me producer I first discovered just last year: Massican Wines. After being thoroughly impressed with that first taste, I didn’t hesitate to order more.
Massican specializes in white wines with a Mediterranean soul—fresh, mineral-driven, and vibrant. Those qualities resonate deeply with my palate. I’ll admit: I rarely reach for California Pinot Grigio. More often than not, I find other white varieties more compelling. But Massican’s 2024 Pinot Grigio challenged that perception in the best possible way. With its energy, nuance, and brightness, it channels the elegance I associate with Italian bottlings—yet with a distinctly Californian twist..
About Massican Wines
Founded in 2009 by Dan Petroski, Massican was born from a singular vision: to craft crisp, expressive white wines in California inspired by the Mediterranean—particularly the wines of northeastern Italy. Petroski’s path to winemaking was far from traditional. After a successful career in publishing, it was time spent living in Italy that opened his eyes—and palate—to the beauty of wines from regions like Friuli and Campania. That experience planted the seed for a new life. He returned to California, started as a harvest intern, and worked his way up to winemaker—gaining the hands-on, intuitive approach that now defines Massican.
From the beginning, Massican has carved out its own space. It’s a white-wine-only label in red wine–dominated Napa Valley. It’s also estate-less—eschewing a fixed vineyard in favor of sourcing grapes from trusted growers across Northern California. This flexibility allows Petroski to hone in on the fruit that best supports his stylistic goals: wines that are lower in alcohol, food-friendly, and made with restraint and purpose.
The Massican lineup includes both varietal and blended wines, often from grapes rarely seen in California: Pinot Grigio, Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano, and more. In 2023, Massican was acquired by E. & J. Gallo Winery—a move that gave Petroski greater access to vineyard sources while preserving his full creative control. The partnership has helped him further his mission: to craft vibrant, expressive white wines that bring a distinctly European sensibility to California.
As Petroski puts it:
*“I’m not trying to make the best wine in the world. I’m trying to make a wine that fits into people’s lives.”*¹
2024 Massican Pinot Grigio
Tasting note: Pale straw color with enticing green apple, melon, lemon zest, yellow flowers, citrus blossom, raw almond, and sea spray aromas On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with mouth-watering zesty acidity, and candied lemon peel, grapefruit, melon, green apple flavors accented with a saline minerality. The finish is bright and satisfying.
Blend: 81% Pinot Grigio, 19% Cortese
ABV: 13% | Closure: Screwcap | SRP: $32 | Score: 91 pts
Final Thoughts
The 2024 Massican Pinot Grigio is a refreshing reminder that California wine still holds surprises—especially in the hands of a winemaker like Dan Petroski. His wines don’t shout; they speak with quiet confidence and clarity. This bottle, in particular, embodies Massican’s ethos: energetic, nuanced, and effortlessly food-friendly. If you’ve ever written off California Pinot Grigio, this wine may just change your mind.t at the table.
Sources and Resources:
¹ Megan Krigbaum, The Massican Manifesto – Punch