Dance a grape-stomping jig across the heartbeats of time as we lose one of the luminaries of the wine-making cosmos. A colossus of the Napa vineyard-scape, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, has ambled into the sunset of this mortal coil, his name now a star in the constellation of viniculture's history.
The legendary winemaker, the sage of the vineyards who catapulted Napa Valley onto the world’s premier wine-making pedestal, drew his last breath at the centenarian milestone. Grgich said adieu to the world with quiet dignity, catching the last train out in his sleep at his Calistogan abode nestled in the California dream, as shared by his labor of love and grand legacy, Grgich Hills Estate.
Hailing from the rustic cradle of Desne, Croatia, Grgich uncorked his journey in 1923. From the tender age of 10, he foot-stomped his father's grape harvests, promenading in the footsteps of his winemaker sire, setting the blueprint for his own destiny. His father’s parting wisdom became his compass, a simple mantra that guided him, “Every day do your best, learn something new and make a new friend.”
The grapevine of his life led Grgich to academic escapades in enology and viticulture at the University of Zagreb. But as the iron curtain of communism descended over his homeland, his eyes sought the distant horizon. A surreptitious exchange with a professor threw open the sun-drenched gates of “California.” Clutching a few concealed U.S. dollars and a prized treasure of wine-making books, he embarked on a new chapter in 1954.
His beloved suitcase, a sartorial beret, and a bottle of chardonnay – all relics of his remarkable journey – now grace the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. His wanderings found a safehaven as he gained asylum on Canadian shores and branched out as a lumberjack in British Columbia. But it was the strings of fortune that played the melody of destiny four years later when he received an offer from Lee Stewart, the visionary behind Chateau Souverain in Napa, California.
A quaint Parisian blind wine tasting in 1976 served as the springboard for Grgich’s legacy. His 1973 vintage Chateau Montelena chardonnay seized the scepter, catapulting him into the royalty of wine-making. The Napa Valley Vintners recognized his monumental contribution to their field, saying “Mike’s impact on Napa Valley’s history and the world of wine cannot be overstated.”
Despite the Schweppervescence of his monumental success, Grgich’s feet stayed humbly grounded, cultivating his very own vineyard dream - the Grgich Hills Estate, in 1977. After the collapse of the communist regime, he turned his attention to Croatia’s wine industry, sowing the seeds for a new generation of vintners at the University of Zagreb and establishing the winery Grgic Vina.
A global citizen, Grgich worked diligently with Roots of Peace, an organization committed to defusing minefields and restoring agricultural prosperity. Never one to miss a phase of his life's vineyard, the organization honored him with a lifetime achievement award in 2022.
Stepping back from the helm of Grgich Hills Estate in 2018, he entrusted his legacy to his daughter, Violet Grgich, and his great-nephew, winemaker Ivo Jeramaz. Together they witnessed the winery's organic certification evolution.
Grgich's secret to longevity? The universal language of friendship and a daily indulgence in the nectar of Dionysus. Carrying forward his legacy are his daughter, nephew, and one grandchild. He has aged gracefully, like a bottle of fine wine, and has left behind a rich, full-bodied legacy that will continue to dazzle in the world's wine cellars for eternity. Here's a toast to the end of an era. To Mike Grgich!
