The long, uneven growing season produced grapes with thicker than normal skins and big tannins so during fermentation and barrel aging we were careful to avoid extracting harsh tannins.
Library Wine
Our Napa Valley wines are our most popular. These complex blends represent the best from our five estate vineyards.
The result is a dark, muscular wine with intriguing aromas of licorice, cedar and blackberries with a hint of earthy truffles. Wonderfully drinkable upon release, the wine’s firm tannin structure promises it will benefit from aging and makes it the perfect partner with grilled steak, roasted lamb or a hearty beef stew.
The long, uneven growing season produced grapes with thicker than normal skins and big tannins so during fermentation and barrel aging we were careful to avoid extracting harsh tannins. The result is a dark, muscular wine with intriguing aromas of licorice, cedar and blackberries with a hint of earthy truffles. Wonderfully drinkable upon release, the wine’s firm tannin structure promises it will benefit from aging and makes it the perfect partner with grilled steak, roasted lamb or a hearty beef stew.
Vintage
About The Vintage
Bud break came early in 2003, followed by a cool and wet spring that slowed down development. After a long, steady growing season, a few heat spikes in September accelerated ripening, which were followed by days of cool weather, so we had a stop and go harvest. We started picking individual blocks Cabernet the last week of September and we finally finished the third week of October—a span of three weeks.
Vineyard
About The Vineyard
2003 marks the first vintage that our Cabernet Sauvignon is estate grown—meaning we control everything from the vineyard to the bottle. Our Yountville vineyard forms the backbone of our Napa Valley blend. The Cabernet here is the Inglenook clone on St. George rootstock. Primarily dry farmed, these vines have pushed their roots deep into the rocky soil, which provides excellent drainage and creates intensely-flavored grapes. By blending wine from our Yountville vineyard with small amounts from our Rutherford and Calistoga vineyards, which are all farmed organically, we create a complex Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinctive personality.
Upon founding Grgich Hills, it was of utmost importance that both Mike Grgich and Austin Hills were equally represented on the winery’s label. Mike chose to represent his Croatian heritage by including the Croatian Coat of Arms, a red and white checkered shield, which also appears on Croatia’s national flag. The winery’s Croatian roots are celebrated with an annual festival, Croatian wines and menu items, and ties to Grgich Hill’s sister winery, Grgic Vina, located on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Hills Family Crest
Upon founding Grgich Hills, it was of utmost importance that both Mike Grgich and Austin Hills were equally represented on the winery’s label. Austin Hills chose to represent the Hills family with an element of the family crest, a rearing horse holding a baton. For generations, the Hills family were known in San Francisco for their thriving coffee business, Hills Brothers Coffee Co., and the Hills horse appearing on the winery’s label marked a new venture in the Hills legacy.
