United States · California

Grgich Hills Estate

Grgich Hills Estate was founded in 1977 in Rutherford by Miljenko (Mike) Grgich and Austin Hills, following Grgich's landmark winemaking of the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the 1976 Paris Tasting's white wine category. The estate maintained a focus on Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and a distinctive Fumé Blanc program reflecting Grgich's idiosyncratic approach to California Sauvignon Blanc. The standard Cabernet Sauvignon leads the portfolio at $64 average across 85 lots; the Selection Cabernet at $77 across 22 lots is the prestige red tier. Fumé Blanc Dry Sauvignon Blanc at $63 average documents a wine with unusual critical attention for California at moderate pricing. The Chardonnay at $50 average reflects that variety's commoditization despite the estate's historic association with the style. Zinfandel, including Miljenko's Old Vine at $113 average, documents a heritage program from older California plantings. The portfolio average of $62 across 181 lots positions Grgich Hills as mid-premium Napa: significant historical prestige from the Paris Tasting connection, consistent quality, and recognisable estate identity without the scarcity premiums of the cult-producer tier. Grgich became biodynamic in 2000, among the earliest certified biodynamic Napa estates, a commitment reflected in the estate's farming philosophy across all varieties.