Mike Grgich burst on the world wine stage when, as winemaker for Chateau Montelana, their 1973 Chardonnay took 1st place at
the now famous 1976 Paris tasting, beating prestigious white Burgundies. The following year he partnered with Austin Hills and his sister (of Hills Brothers Coffee fame) to create Grgich Hills Estate. Not surprisingly, Grgich has always had a great reputation for beautifully structured Chardonnays that are tightly wound when young, but open to reveal sheer delight after a few years of bottle age. In my mind, they rank among the best Chardonnays that California produces. But that’s not why Grgich Hills is my choice for Winery of the Year.
Grgich makes an astounding range of excellent wines, from Sauvignon Blanc (his 2007 is simply stunning) to Cabernet 
Sauvignon to a luscious dessert wine. He works magic with my least favorite varietal, Zinfandel, to produce an exciting wine. That kind of breadth of talent in winemaking is unusual. Producers in the other great wine producing regions, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont or Tuscany, use a more narrow palette. For example, Jacques Lardiere, Maison Louis Jadot’s wizard-like winemaker, makes hundreds of wines, but uses only two varieties of grapes. Chateau Lafite-Rothschild produces two wines, both reds and from the same blend of grapes.
All of Grgich’s wines have elegance and class–even the 
Zinfandel. He has wisely avoided the temptation to make “killer” Cabernets or “monster” Zins. All of the wines are true to their origins and accurately reflect the uniqueness of Napa Valley. He’s not trying to imitate white Burgundy with his Chardonnay. Similarly, his goal is not to duplicate Bordeaux with his Cabernet or Merlot.
Grigich’s wines remind me of what Louis Latour, the former director of Burgundy’s Maison Latour, told me: “Great wines always taste good.” Grigich’s do. They’re balanced and engaging when young and delectable when aged. His 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted at 15 years of age, was graceful and classy, the epitome of great wine. And by any standards–either inherent quality or comparison with his neighbors–he sells them at reasonable prices.
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