Our estate Napa Valley Chardonnay is the quintessential representation of Miljenko “Mike” Grgich in a glass. This wine exudes a lively bouquet of freshly squeezed citrus and delicate floral notes.
Library Wine
Our Napa Valley wines are our most popular. These complex blends represent the best from our five estate vineyards.
The palate reveals rich flavors of Fuji apples, a hint of ripe pear and stone fruit, progressing seamlessly to a long, elegant finish. The Chardonnay’s beautifully balanced acidity makes this a perfect wine for aging in your cellar or is delicious now for your next dinner party. Enjoy with herb-crusted pork ribs, grilled chicken Caesar salad or poached salmon.
Our estate Napa Valley Chardonnay is the quintessential representation of Miljenko “Mike” Grgich in a glass. This wine exudes a lively bouquet of freshly squeezed citrus and delicate floral notes. The palate reveals rich flavors of Fuji apples, a hint of ripe pear and stone fruit, progressing seamlessly to a long, elegant finish. The Chardonnay’s beautifully balanced acidity makes this a perfect wine for aging in your cellar or is delicious now for your next dinner party. Enjoy with herb-crusted pork ribs, grilled chicken Caesar salad or poached salmon.
Vintage
About The Vintage
The growing season started out with warm temperatures in the late winter and early spring, triggering early bud break. Colder temperatures in May slowed grape development, which coupled with the fourth year of drought, resulted in fewer grapes in 2015. The harvest was one of our earliest in memory with berries smaller than usual but packed with flavor and color.
Vineyard
About The Vineyard
Our Chardonnay thrives in our American Canyon and Carneros vineyards 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 flavors while maintaining a bright, natural acidity. We farm all of our vineyards naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and they are certified organic.
Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5% by volume
Fermentation indigenous yeast
Harvest date Aug. 25 - Sept. 12, 2015
Sugar 22.5 ̊ Brix
Bottling date August 2016
Release date July 2018
Total acid 6.5 g/L
PH 3.36
Time in oak Fermented and aged 10 months in 80% barrels and 20% foudres
Type of oak French oak; 50% new barrels, 50% neutral barrels
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.
