Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay

Description

Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay is an organic, estate-grown Chardonnay made with grapes grown at Grgrich’s American Canyon and Carneros vineyards.

History of Grgich Hills Estate

Grgich Hills Estate is a renowned winery located in Rutherford in the heart of the Napa Valley. The winery was founded in 1977 by Croatian-American winemaker Miljenko “Mike” Grgich and Austin Hills (of Hills Brothers Coffee) with the mission to produce world-class wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. Grgich became famous after a Chardonnay he produced at Chateau Montelena won first prize among the white wines at the historic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. Today, Mike’s daughter, Violet Grgich, is President and Ivo Jeramaz, Mike’s nephew, is Winemaker / VP of Vineyards & Production. They have recently been joined by the third-generation Justin Hills and Maya Jeramaz.

The winery was previously known as Grgich Hills Cellar until 2006 when the name was changed to reflect the fact that the company only uses estate-grown fruit. Today the winery has 5 different vineyards covering some 366 acres in Calistoga, Rutherford, American Canyon, Carneros and Yountville. Grgich farms all of their certified organic vineyards naturally without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, using the principles of regenerative agriculture.

Winemaking

The grapes for the Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Chardonnay are sourced from vineyards in American Canyon and Carneros in the southern tip of Napa Valley, near San Pablo Bay which spills into the San Francisco Bay. The cool maritime breezes and morning fog allow the grapes to slowly ripen to develop complex flavours while maintaining a bright, natural acidity.

After harvest the Chardonnay grapes are fermented in 80% barrels and 20% foudres. The barrels are made from French oak and are 40% new, 60% neutral. The wine does not undergo any malolactic fermentation which helps to preserve the wine’s natural acidity.

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.