Masayason's table wine debuted as an easy-to-drink, healthy wine.
The 2020 vintage was full of surprises.
The interruption to our work caused by the global pandemic has made us realise just how much we appreciate the routine and rhythm not only of grape growing and winemaking, but of everyday life.
A dry, warm winter resulted in modest vigor, smaller fruit and concentrated fruit.
Timely rainfall in March helped to promote healthy and well-balanced canopy development.
Overall the grapes were of excellent quality until the next surprise came.
What happened there was a lot of lightning without any rain.
Lightning strikes sparked numerous wildfires across California.
However, due to the early harvest and the lack of maceration, this had no impact on the white wines.
This is the ninth year that the company has been making Vermentino, and the grapes used remain the same, mostly from the Corning Series, grown in the Windmill Vineyard on nutrient-poor, weathered pink gravelly alluvial soils.
The fields are certified organic (CCOF).
Harvested early, it has a very fresh flavour.
The fruit is very healthy due to the dry year and only minimal SO2 is used in the vineyards.
No additives or fining agents are used other than SO2.
Since malolactic fermentation is not carried out, the wine is sterilized through a filter before bottling.
Owner winemaker Steve Mathiason is one of Napa Valley's leading vineyard consultants.
His clients include Eiseley, Chappelle and Spottswoode, and he is known for producing well-balanced grapes.
Massaiason is a small winery that is entirely family run.
The white wines that Steve produces are modelled on those from the Friuli region of Italy, while his red wines are mainly Bordeaux style.
We believe in hands-on farming, and as much as possible we do all the farm work ourselves.
And Steve has surprised the entire California wine industry by preferring to harvest three to four weeks earlier than usual, a key factor in determining the wine's flavor.
In 2014, he was named Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, a leading American newspaper, and is a talented young winemaker with promising future prospects.
For Steve Mathiason, making wine is simply an extension of working in the vineyard.
The grapes used for Massaiason come from vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, all of which are personally managed by Steve throughout the growing season.
Steve is a specialist in bringing out the inherent characteristics and aromas of grape varieties in wine.
He specializes in the ubiquitous Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as varieties not commonly seen in Napa Valley, such as Ribolla Gialla and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso.
Whatever the variety, his job is simply to allow the wine to reflect the characteristics of the soil and the variety in which the grapes are grown.
The characteristics of Massaison wines are their refreshing taste, which makes them perfect for pairing with food, and their lower alcohol content than regular California wines.
By using cultivation methods suited to each field, we are able to grow grapes with a concentrated flavor, and by minimizing our desire for self-expression as winemakers and respecting the individuality of the grapes, we are able to produce well-balanced wines that are wrapped in aromatic fragrances.
A former member of In Pursuit of Balance (IPOB), a once-popular organization in California dedicated to the pursuit of well-balanced Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the winery is renowned for producing elegant, vibrant wines reminiscent of Europe.