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A Life Full of Miracles (pt 3)

Sep 12, 2023 | In the News, Mike Grgich

Mike was a sponge in his days working at Chateau Souverain, taking every opportunity to understand the style and intricacies of winemaking unique to winemaker Lee Stewart. While there, he noticed that the Zinfandel vines abundant in Stewart’s vineyards bore a remarkable resemblance to Plavac Mali, a varietal he was familiar with in the vineyards of Croatia. This small observance would eventually put to bed a centuries-old mystery as to where Zinfandel vines originated, but not until years later, when Mike would establish himself as a prominent winemaker in the valley. Mere months into his tenure in paradise, there was a hum in the atmosphere that seemed to suggest Mike Grgich would change the landscape of Napa Valley wine.

One thing that defined Mike was his insatiable desire to learn, improve, and advance. After his time at Souverain had ended, he took a job with Christian Brothers Cellars, one of the grandest wineries in the Valley at the time, and quite the departure from Lee Stewart’s modest operation. They had all the latest technology, and Mike wasted no time in absorbing all the knowledge he could. However, as the highest positions were reserved for the Brothers themselves, he knew that to advance his career, he would need to find work elsewhere. This realization led him to a fateful call with Andre Tchelistcheff. At that time, Tchelistcheff had already made a name for himself as one of the most prominent winemakers not only in the Napa Valley, but the entire country. His wines were widely regarded as the best the United States had to offer.

Given his illustrious reputation, one can only imagine the nervousness that Mike felt, still new to the country and to the winemaking scene of the Valley, as he dialed up this titan of wine. Fortunately for Mike, Tchelistcheff was no miser when it came to the knowledge he’d attained from years of experience. Unlike other winemakers, who guarded the secrets of their techniques covetously, he was happy to impart winemaking wisdom to any who sought him out. He told Mike without hesitation to come see him in person.

An audience with a man with such a repute was sure to steer Mike in a good direction. The pair had common ground after all – both had fled political turmoil in their home countries and found their freedom in the world of wine. The camaraderie Mike felt was only strengthened when he went to greet Tchelistcheff in broken English, and the man responded in near-perfect Croatian.

They soon found that they shared similar methodologies when it came to winemaking. Both put heavy emphasis on sanitation and were incredibly detail-oriented in all aspects of their artistry. So, it came as no surprise when Andre offered Mike a job working under him at Beaulieu Vineyards, which he graciously accepted.

Developing his skills as a winemaker under Tchelistcheff was one of the most rewarding experiences of Mike’s life, but there was also no shortage of opportunities for an industrious and ambitious man like Mike. So, after Andre retired, Mike moved on, choosing to work with another man who would become a life-long friend and advisor: Robert Mondavi.

This duo was not quite as harmonious in their partnership as Mike had been with Andre; they followed rather different approaches in winemaking. Mike was slow and methodical, while Robert was far more dynamic and gregarious, pushing forth new ideas faster than Mike could organize them. Still, they complemented each other, Mike providing the traditional, old-world winemaking style to serve as a backbone for Robert’s endless innovation.

As Mike reached his fourth year of employment for Robert Mondavi, he had achieved the crux of his dream: making a name and establishing himself in the Napa Valley, his personal paradise. However, something was still missing. He longed to own a piece of this world that he had devoted himself to, something that Mondavi could not offer him. So, when he was offered shares of ownership to start an entirely new winery with Jim Barrett, he felt he could not refuse.

As a limited partner at Chateau Montelena, Mike finally felt like he scratched the surface of his deepest wish- to actually own a slice of winemaking culture. With total creative freedom, he was thriving, a fact that was certainly evidenced in the wines he produced. The most famous example, of course, was the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that would go on to achieve the highest score of all wines, including some of the best of France, entered in the Paris Tasting of 1976.

Almost overnight, the winery and the whole of Napa Valley became a sensation. At this point in time, Napa was still mostly unknown and certainly dwarfed by the centuries of winemaking legacy in France. With Chateau Montelena’s victory in the white wine category, along with the triumph of fellow Napa Valley winery Stag’s Leap in the red wine category, the reputation of California as an up-and-comer in the world of wine was established. As the winemaker responsible for the creation of the Chardonnay that shattered the myth of French wine supremacy, Mike received no shortage of employment offers. Having tasted the freedom of creating his own wines exactly how he wanted however, he was certain that he did not want to go back to creating wines for anyone else. There was only one proposal that piqued his interest.

Austin Hills was not offering Mike a job as winemaker, but was in search of a partner in the creation of an entirely new winery. Mike knew instantly that this would be his next and final move in the wine industry. With a 50/50 partnership between the Grgich and Hills families set in stone, a location in Rutherford selected and purchased, and sixty tons of purchased grapes for the inaugural vintage on their way, Grgich Hills was finally born. This new winery was the culmination of Mike’s dream, of his decades of labor, devotion, and hope. Grgich Hills is a testament to Mike’s legacy, and the incredible impact he had in shaping the world of wine as we know it today.

What happened next? Read about Grgich Hills Winery’s founding here.

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