It has aromas of red apple, yellow peach, muskmelon and honey, with just the right amount of acidity in the mouth and a pleasant, full-bodied, mineral-scented aftertaste.
A refreshing wine with a low alcohol content.
It's great to drink as is, but it also pairs well with raw oysters and roast chicken.
The vineyard is located behind the Mathiasson family home in the western Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley.
Massaison began cultivating vineyards on lease from Linda Vista Vineyard in 2011.
Since then, we have switched to organic farming and have focused on regenerating the beautiful old vines that originally grew on this field.
This region has long been considered too cool for growing black grapes, but since the early 1960s it has been known as a producer of excellent Chardonnay.
The cool breezes and clay soil of this region give the Chardonnay freshness and rich acidity, while the abundant sunshine throughout Napa Valley ripens the grapes just right, giving the wine just the right amount of body.
Chardonnay is a seemingly simple yet difficult variety.
If there is a scale of "unripe => ripe => fully ripe" based on the stage of grape maturity, then Chardonnay is very difficult to determine when it is ripe.
Because they rent vineyards, cultivate them organically themselves, and control the grape growth from start to finish, they are able to harvest such wonderful Chardonnay at the perfect time for ripeness.
This wine is made from 100% Chardonnay from Linda Vista Vineyards.
The grapes are also CCOF (California Certified Organic Farming) certified.
The Chardonnay vines were originally planted by Beringer in 1989.
Now that they have reached true maturity, we are proud to continue to cultivate these trees with care.
The grapes were harvested in several successive harvests at different levels of ripeness, giving this wine great balance, complexity and perfection.
The grapes are harvested early to provide acidity and minerality, while the grapes harvested later are used for the wine. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermented and aged exclusively in old French oak barrels, and fermented exclusively with wild yeasts.
No batonnage or lees are performed.
Only 2/5 of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.
The alcohol is medium and the wine has the firm acidity that is characteristic of this vineyard, which is well balanced with the ripe creaminess.
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.
Massaison 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.