"A Napa legend...Grgich Hills Estate"
Grgich Hills Estate is a true piece of Americana. The winery is a culmination of one impassioned,immigrant winemaker and a well-known coffee family that believed in him...
Miljenko "Mike" Grgich was born in the village of Desne, on the Croatian Dalmation coast, on April 1, 1923. He was one of 11 children and like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, he made wine at the small family owned winery. In 1949 he went to the University of Zagreb, where he studied enology, chemistry and microbiology. By 1954, Mike was fed up with the communist rule in Yugoslavia so he made his way to West Germany, then Canada and finally California.
In 1958, Mike arrived in Napa and immediately went to work for Lee Stewart, founder of Souverain. After one harvest, Mike moved to Christian Brothers and then to Beaulieu Vineyard where he spent nine years working alongside the legendary Russian winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff. In 1968, Mike was eager for more responsibility and became chief enologist at the most innovative winery at the time, Robert Mondavi.
*I have been fortunate to have talked with Mike on several occasions over the years
Mike joined Chateau Montelena as winemaker in 1972. It was here that Mike made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that took first place in the 1976 Taste of Paris, the first American wine to ever beat the French in a blind tasting. It was this achievement that allowed Mike to fulfill his lifelong dream of owning his own winery. In 1977, he joined forces with Austin Hills of the Hills Bros. Coffee family and created Grgich Hills Cellars in Rutherford, the heart of Napa Valley.
*Mike proudly displays his Award Winning wine...the Smithsonian also has a bottle and is included in the list of "101 Objects That Made America"
In 2008 a Hollywood rendition of this epic Paris tasting was released. The movie was entertaining and told through the eyes of one delusional winery owner. Bottle Shock tells a story of one crazed wine maker, Jim Barrett, in search of the perfect chardonnay. Jim did own Chateau Montelena but, was never the wine maker. His son, Bo, studied under Mike and is currently the head wine maker there. Mike's character is one of an elderly man who wears a beret and has no speaking lines. He is at best, background scenery. Funny thing is, Mike was hired to make Cabernet Sauvignon but, newly planted crops weren't ready for farming so Mike advised Jim that he made a pretty good chardonnay! Lucky for Jim...I guess Mike too!
*Entertaining movie but, now you know who really made that Chardonnay
*For the real story read George M Taber's Judgement of Paris
*This just happens to be my personally autographed copy
In 1980, 221 Chardonnays were brought together for a historic first, the largest blind tasting ever held of wines made from a single varietal. Mike's 1977 Grgich Hills Chardonnay emerged with the first place ribbon. He soon became affectionately known as the "King of Chardonnay."
I personally remember the first time I had a glass of Grgich Chardonnay. It was my first bartending job 21 years ago and all I knew about wine was the Mateus, Alamden and white zin my mother drank. As a higher end martini and wine bar, I quickly learned that those wines were highly frowned upon. In fact the favorite saying was "friends don't let friends drink white zin." I remember tasting through the "by the glass" wine selections and the Grgich was like nothing I had ever tasted. The wine was layered with so many nuances that my palate was overwhelmed. I never knew wine could be this delicious. The next day I purchased a bottle and brought it to my mother and proclaimed, "from now on NO more white zin!" I am proud to say, we never turned back!
A few months ago I took Danny on a journey to learn about all the classics. We stopped in at Grgich and the wine room was typically packed. I happened to get the attention of one of the wine stewards...he said "Mr. Barragan, we have been waiting for you!" It turns out that he was Austin Hills son and he gave us a one on one guided tour and tasting...
*Shhhhh...the wine is resting
*Our VIP tasting
Thank you Grgich Hills for being such generous hosts! Cheers to you Mike!
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