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Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley, California

Our Story
Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Then, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked: they had chosen the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich, as the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu! The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.

Learn More About the Paris Tasting

Read Mike Grgich’s remarks on the 35th anniversary of the Paris Tasting.

The Paris Tasting served notice to the world that the California wine industry was on the move, and it laid the groundwork for the creation of Grgich Hills Cellar. After his victory in Paris, Mike sat down with Austin Hills and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl, from the Hills Bros. Coffee family, and on Independence Day 1977, they gave birth to Grgich Hills. It was an ideal partnership. Austin owned premium vineyards in Rutherford, in the heart of the Napa Valley, and with his extensive background in business, he put the winery on its financial feet. Mike, with his fierce commitment to making wines of the highest quality, began producing what immediately became our signature wine: the exquisite, richly complex Chardonnays that win awards and delight wine lovers across America and throughout the world.

Today, we remain committed to making distinctive wines with quality, consistency and longevity. We are proud that world leaders such as Presidents Reagan and Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand chose our wines to serve at state dinners, but we are just as proud that every single day discriminating wine drinkers count on Grgich Hills to turn their own dinners into special occasions.

We treat each of our different wines as a special child, carefully nurturing their development and character. Our pride and joy is our Chardonnay, an elegant example of the varietal displaying rich flavours and exquisite balance. As a complement to the Chardonnay, we also produce a refreshingly crisp Fumé Blanc, a rich and spicy Zinfandel, a Cabernet Sauvignon with tremendous depth and complexity, a lush and richly fragrant Merlot, and a luscious dessert wine named “Violetta,” in honour of Mike’s daughter, Violet.

Now 95 years old and still sporting his signature blue beret, Mike was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame in 2008 in honor of his many contributions to the wine industry. While many other Napa wineries pursue strategies of expansion, Mike, along with his daughter, Violet, and his nephew, Ivo Jeramaz, prefer to stay small. Their aim, year after year, is to improve the quality of their vineyards and their wines, relying on Mike’s unique artistic and intuitive touch. This strategy continues to pay significant dividends.

Committed to natural wine-growing and sustainability, we farm our five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, rely on wild yeast fermentation and use our passion and the art of winemaking to handcraft food-friendly, balanced and elegant wines. In keeping with our goal of sustainability, the winery switched to solar power in 2006. As Mike often says, “From our vineyard to your glass, naturally!”

Beginning with the 2003 vintage, all Grgich Hills wines were labeled “Estate Grown.” This guarantees a consistently superior level of quality and it means that Grgich Hills will always remain a shining symbol of prestige and good taste. In recognition of that important milestone, the winery changed its name in 2007 to Grgich Hills Estate.

  • Grgich 'Paris Tasting' Chardonay 2019

    Grgich 'Paris Tasting' Chardonay 2019
    $250.00

    This Paris Tasting Commemorative Chardonnay opens with aromas of tart kaffir lime, fresh sweet mango, dried lemon zest and fragrant beeswax followed by subtle notes of fruity, floral verbena and rich vanilla. The palate...

  • Grgich Napa Zinfandel 2017

    Grgich Napa Zinfandel 2017
    $108.00

    Zinfandel from our organically farmed Calistoga vineyard aged in large French oak casks. Fresh red fruit aromas of blood orange, sour cherry and cranberry commingle with savoury cardamom and clove, hinting to...

  • Grgich Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

    Grgich Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    $445.00

    This 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville Old Vine is a testament to the complexity of flavours that are the result of caring for old vines. The wine is elegant and statuesque with aromas of blackberries, ripe...

  • Grgich Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

    Grgich Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
    $190.00

    This 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley epitomizes the purity of structure and place. Powerful on the nose, this full-bodied wine has a dense core of forest strawberries and sweet cranberries with the...

  • Grgich Napa Fumé Blanc 2019

    Grgich Napa Fumé Blanc 2019
    $94.00

    In 1968, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich went to work for Robert Mondavi as chief enologist, making the inaugural release of “Fumé Blanc.” This elegant, dry style of oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc was named...

  • Grgich Napa Fumé Blanc 2017

    Grgich Napa Fumé Blanc 2017
    $62.00

    Relying on naturally-occurring yeasts, Grgich fermented a portion of the grapes in 900-gallon French oak casks, called foudres, with the remainder in oak barrels. They then aged the wine for six months on its lees (the spent...

  • Grgich Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

    Grgich Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
    $145.00

    Deep red in the glass, this sultry wine shows dark berry fruit on the nose followed by black current, plum, with an undertone of lavender and allspice. Rich and velvety on the palate, this Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits full...

  • Grgich Chardonay 2020

    Grgich Chardonay 2020
    $130.00

    93 Points - James Suckling Aromas of fresh peach, Asian pear, citrus, and honeycomb to delight your senses.  The flavors are just as complex with delightful, with hints of Madagascar vanilla, followed by...

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