FOUNDED BY MILJENKO “MIKE” GRGICH with his partners Austin Hills and Mary Lee Strebl in 1977, Grgich Hills Estate remains one of the few family-owned and -operated businesses in the Napa Valley that has thrived for 41 years and is going strong.
A Vintners Hall of Fame inductee, Mike first earned worldwide recognition when the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, a wine he crafted, won the 1976 Paris Tasting, beating the best of France.
The history of the winery continues with Mike’s 95th birthday celebration. Celebrating his 95th birthday is truly a remarkable milestone for Mike, and the winery is excited to pay tribute to this momentous occasion all year long. The celebration was kicked off on March 1 in La Quinta, California, where Mike spends the winter, with a special vintner dinner at Morgan’s in the Desert. Besides an open house on May 5 in Napa Valley, the winery is hosting a series of birthdaythemed vintner dinners across the country so everyone can participate in wishing Mike “Happy Birthday.” A special social media campaign, #MikeMoments, has been launched to bring these events to life across social media. And, of course, no Grgich Hills Estate celebration is complete without a 95th birthday commemorative beret.
Q&A with Winemaker Ivo Jeramaz
“Mike taught me practically everything I know, and he has given me a great opportunity to work at something I’m passionate about.”” —IVO JERAMAZ
What can you tell us about the winery’s five estate vineyards? Each of our vineyards has its own personality and microclimate. Austin Hills Vineyard in Rutherford is where our tasting room and bottling facilities are located. Originally, Mike planted it with Chardonnay, but in 2000 he replanted it with Cabernet Sauvignon with one acre of Petit Verdot to take advantage of the famed Rutherford dust. Mary Lee’s Vineyard is our Carneros property where our Chardonnay thrives. My favorite vineyard is in American Canyon where I oversaw the design and planting. It’s our largest vineyard with primarily Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Finally, we have Miljenko’s Vineyard in Calistoga where Mike says the best Zinfandel he ever tasted was planted. His home overlooks the vines that produced our inaugural vintage of Miljenko’s Old Vine Zinfandel.
Why do you practice organic farming? All our vineyards were certified organic in 2003. We chose to become organic for three reasons: First, organic farming creates wines with true terroir. Second, it produces healthy plants, so they can become older, develop a deep root system, remain healthy, and produce more complex wines. Third, healthy organic vineyards can last 50 years or more, while conventional vineyards are being replanted twice in the same amount of time. As our vines grow older, we see the wisdom of our choice and, by making wine in a natural way, we are making better wines.
What is your vision as winemaker for this iconic winery? My vision is to continue the legacy Mike has created and use that knowledge to further that legacy for the next generations of our family. I arrived from Croatia not knowing anything about wine. Mike taught me practically everything I know, and he has given me a great opportunity to work at something I’m passionate about.