Renowned Winemaker Mike Grgich, Who Put Napa Valley on the Global Wine Map, Dies at 100

Grgich's 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Won First Place in Paris, Establishing Napa Valley's Global Prominence

Mike Grgich, renowned winemaker and co-founder of Grgich Hills Estate, passed away at the age of 100.
Grgich's 1973 Chateau Montelena chardonnay won first place in a blind tasting in Paris in 1976, putting Napa Valley on the world's wine map.
After his success, Grgich opened his own winery, Grgich Hills Estate, in 1977.
Grgich also played a significant role in rebuilding Croatia's wine industry after the fall of communism, opening Grgich Vina in 1996.
He ran Grgich Hills Estate until 2018, when he handed over leadership to his daughter, Violet Grgich, and his grand-nephew, winemaker Ivo Jeramaz.