Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Grgich Hills Estate


Please see our updated 2013 review here: Grgich Hills Estate Revisited

Grgich Hills Estate was started in 1977, a year after Mike Grgich produced the famous Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that placed first in Paris in 1976.  It definitely belongs on your list of wineries to visit when you are in Napa Valley. Grgich Hills Cellar is right on Highway 29 and very easy to find. It is certified organically and biodynamically farmed and is family owned.  Only natural yeasts are used in their wines.

Our tasting began with the 2009 Fume Blanc, a crisp wine with a very nice long finish. The 2008 Chardonnay does not undergo malolactic fermentation and is not overly oaked so it tasted like a real chardonnay and is quite good. The 2007 Zinfandel had nice fruit but was not a fruit bomb and had some pleasantly soft tannins probably from the 5% Petite Sirah.  It was aged in French oak for 15 months.  The 2006 Merlot had flavors of cherry with some pleasantly soft tannins.  My favorite of the three reds was the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 21 months in French oak.  It is a Bordeaux type blend with 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot.  It had a lovely blackberry nose and was very drinkable.
1829 St. Helena Hwy
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-2784
Visited 3/29/2011  

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