Grgich Hills Estate
40 Years of Miracles
2016 Chardonnay
Los Carneros
Vintage Perspective Auction
Auction 21 | Lot No. 190
Grgich Hills Estate
40 Years of Miracles
Vintage: 2016
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Los Carneros
10 cases produced
Highlights
- Celebrating our 40th anniversary, when Miljenko “Mike” Grgich joined Austin Hills to open the winery
- This exquisite 100% Chardonnay, from our best lots of Old Wente Clone, is grown naturally
- Borrowed the name of this lot from Mike Grgich’s book, A Glass Full of Miracles
- One sip will show you why we say “Taste the Legacy!”
Description
We’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of Grgich Hills Estate, when Vintners Hall of Fame inductee Miljenko “Mike” Grgich joined with Austin Hills of the Hills Bros. Coffee Co. to open their family-owned-and-operated winery in 1977. To commemorate this historic event, we borrowed the name from Mike Grgich’s book, “A Glass Full of Miracles” and then created an exquisite Chardonnay from our best lots of Old Wente Clone from our Carneros Vineyard.
Wine Facts
- Single vineyard wine
- Sustainably produced
- Organically produced (also commonly called "organically grown")
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
Ivo Jeramaz
Winemaker, Grgich Hills Estate
Ivo was born in Croatia to a family of grape growers, and, as a boy, he assisted in making wine for his family's enjoyment. However, he didn't plan on becoming a winemaker. Ivo earned a Master of Science degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb and dreamed of coming to California to work as an engineer. In 1986, with the help of his uncle, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, Ivo followed his dream and came to Napa Valley. He quickly fell in love with the scenic beauty of the area and became fascinated with wine making. Ivo decided on a career change, and Mike immediately put him to work washing barrels.
During his almost three decades at Grgich Hills Estate, Ivo has worked his way up in responsibility, learning the classic style and art of winemaking from his uncle, supported by the tools of science and technology. "There's nothing in the winery or vineyard that I haven't done, not just for one day, but really worked at it," he explains. While he has taken enology and viticulture courses at the University of California, Davis, he says, "I've learned more working in the vineyards and in the winery with Mike."
Under the guidance of his uncle, Ivo is now responsible for the day-to-day operations in the cellar and the vineyard, including naturally farming Grgich Hills Estate's 366 acres without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
"At Grgich Hills Estate, we grow grapes like my grandfather did, farming without chemicals and pesticides," Ivo says. "Mike taught me early in my career that you need great grapes to make great wine. Over the years, I've focused on working with the land. Through our natural farming, it's been very rewarding to seeing the soil alive with healthier plants than under conventional farming. It allows the wines to be more authentic, more distinctive."
Country born: Croatia
Education: Master of Science degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb
Enology and viticulture courses at the University of California, Davis
Mentored by his uncle, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaking Philosophy:
Mike Grgich taught me early in my career that you need great grapes to make great wine. Over the years, I've focused on working with the land. Through our natural farming, it's been very rewarding to seeing the soil alive with healthier plants than under conventional farming. It allows the wines to be more authentic, more distinctive.
Miljenko Grgich
Winemaker, Grgich Hills Estate
I have worked for some of the legends of Napa Valley: Lee Stewart, of the original Souverain Cellars; Brother Timothy at Christian Brothers; for almost nine years for Andre Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards; for Robert Mondavi; and then Chateau Montelena, where the Chardonnay that I crafted won the famed 1976 Paris Tasting. I then partnered with Austin Hills to start Grgich Hills Cellars on Independence Day 1977.
Country born: Croatia
Education: University of Zagreb, viticultural and enology.
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Honors / Awards:
Inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame in 2008.
Winemaking Philosophy:
Our goal remains the same as when I started the winery more than 35 years ago: to craft a wine that is harmonized. To me, that means not too much oak, not too much alcohol, not too much of any one attribute. In other words, we craft a whole wine that is a pleasure to drink.
Winery Distribution
Grgich Hills Estate is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Grgich Hills Estate Contact: Sylvie Schwarze
Domestic:
- Alabama ( International Wine & Spirits )
- Alaska ( Specialty Imports )
- Arizona ( Breakthru Beverage )
- Arkansas ( Central Distributors, Inc )
- Colorado ( Empire Distributors of Colorado, Inc )
- Connecticut ( Brescome Barton/Worldwide Wines )
- Delaware ( Breakthru Beverage )
- Florida ( Johnson Brothers of Florida )
- Florida ( Opici Family Distributing )
- Florida ( Breakthru Beverage Florida )
- Georgia ( RNDC Georgia )
- Georgia ( National Distributing Company )
- Hawaii ( Chambers & Chambers )
- Idaho ( Idaho Wine Merchant )
- Idaho ( TEC Distributing East )
- Idaho ( TEC Distributing West (Twin Falls) )
- Illinois ( Marketplace Selections )
- Illinois ( H2Vino/Wine-O-Rama & Acme Wine Company )
- Indiana ( Republic National Distributing Company )
- Iowa ( Johnson Brothers of Iowa )
- Kansas ( Standard Beverage )
- Kentucky ( Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits )
- Louisiana ( Wines Unlimited )
- Louisiana ( Glazer’s Distributing )
- Maine ( Pine State Beverage Co. )
- Maryland ( Breakthru Beverage )
- Massachusetts ( Classic Wine Imports )
- Michigan ( Great Lakes Wine & Spirits )
- Minnesota ( Johnson Brothers )
- Mississippi ( Alcohol Beverage Control )
- Missouri ( Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits )
- Montana ( Gusto Distributing )
- Montana ( Fun Beverage )
- Montana ( Bronken’s Good Time Distributing )
- Montana ( Summit Beverage )
- Nebraska ( Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirit )
- Nevada ( Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirit )
- New Hampshire ( Martignetti Companies of New Hampshire )
- New Jersey ( Allied Beverage )
- New Mexico ( Bacchus Wine Patrol )
- New Mexico ( Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits )
- New York ( Wilson Daniels Wholesale )
- New York ( Empire Distributing )
- North Carolina ( American Beverage )
- North Dakota ( Northwest Beverage )
- Ohio ( Heidelberg Distributing (Cincinnati) )
- Ohio ( Vintage Wine & Spirits (Columbus and Cleveland) )
- Oklahoma ( Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits )
- Oregon ( Grape Expectations )
- Pennsylvania ( Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits )
- Rhode Island ( Horizon Beverage )
- South Carolina ( Republic National Distributing Company )
- South Dakota ( Republic National Distributing Company )
- Tennessee ( Southern Glazer’s of Tennessee )
- Tennessee ( Lipman Brothers )
- Tennessee ( Knoxville Beverage )
- Texas ( Dynamo Specialty Distributing Texas )
- Utah ( Utah Liquor Control Board )
- Utah ( Young’s Market of Utah )
- Vermont ( Calmont Beverage Co., Inc. )
- Virginia ( Select Wines, Inc. (north) )
- Virginia ( Breakthru Beverage (south) )
- Washington ( Grape Expectations )
- West Virginia ( The Country Vintner )
- Wisconsin ( Breakthru Beverage )
- Wyoming ( Wyoming Liquor Commission )
- Wyoming ( Young’s Market Co. of Wyoming )
International:
- Bahamas ( Bristol Wine and Spirits )
- Belgium ( MaQuinze )
- Bermuda ( Gosling's LTD )
- Canada - Alberta ( Trialto )
- Canada - British Columbia ( Vintage Corks )
- Canada - Manitoba ( Trialto )
- Canada - New Brunswick ( New Brunswick Liquor Corporation )
- Canada - Nova Scotia ( Innovative Beverages )
- Canada - Ontario ( Rogers & Company )
- Canada - Quebec ( Noble Selection )
- Canada - Saskatchewan ( Trialto )
- China ( Evo Wine Group )
- Costa Rica ( Hablas Bebidas )
- Croatia ( Grgic Vina )
- Czech Republic ( Californian Wines )
- Denmark ( California Wine )
- Germany ( Californian Wines )
- Hong Kong ( Ponti Wine Cellars )
- India ( Sansula )
- India ( Dhall Food and Beverages PVT LTD )
- Ireland ( Findlater )
- Japan ( Wine In Style )
- Luxembourg ( MaQuinze )
- Mexico ( The Wine Co. )
- Netherlands ( MaQuinze )
- New Zealand ( Planet Wine )
- Norway ( Vinetum )
- Philippines ( Wine Club Worldwide )
- Puerto Rico ( Plaza Provision )
- Russia ( Eurazia )
- Scotland ( Awin Barratt Siegel )
- Singapore ( Excaliber Wines )
- South Korea ( Nara Cellars )
- Sweden ( Jakobsson & Soderstrom )
- Switzerland ( Putzi's Weinresidenz )
- Tahiti ( Pacific Beverage Co. )
- Taiwan ( Prowine )
- Thailand ( California Pacific Wines )
- United Arab Emirates ( Harts International )
- United Kingdom ( Awin Barratt Siegel )
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