95 points - Editor’s Choice - Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide - May 2019
93 points - EXCEPTIONAL - World Wine Championships - Oct. 10, 2018
92 points - Wine Review Online (Michael Apstein) - August 28, 2018
DOUBLE GOLD - 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Vintage: The growing season started out with warm temperatures in the late winter and early spring, triggering early bud break. Colder temperatures in May slowed grape development, which coupled with the fourth year of drought, resulted in fewer grapes in 2015. The harvest was one of our earliest in memory with berries smaller than usual but packed with flavor and color.
Vineyard: This Chardonnay thrives American Canyon and Carneros vineyards in the southern tip of Napa Valley, near San Pablo Bay, which spills into the San Francisco Bay. The cool maritime breezes and morning fog allow the grapes to slowly ripen to develop complex flavors while maintaining a pleasing natural acidity that is impossible to achieve in warmer areas. Farmed all naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and they are certified organic.
The Wine: This estate Napa Valley Chardonnay is the quintessential representation of Miljenko "Mike" Grgich in a glass. Exudes a lively bouquet of freshly squeezed citrus and delicate floral notes. The palate reveals rich flavors of Fuji apples, a hint of ripe pear and stone fruit, progressing seamlessly to a long, elegant finish. The Chardonnay's beautifully balanced acidity makes this a perfect wine for aging in your cellar or is delicious now for your next dinner party. Enjoy with herb-crusted pork ribs, grilled chicken Caesar salad or poached salmon.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Napa Valley Estate
Harvest date: Aug. 25 - Sept. 12, 2015
Sugar: 22.5 Brix (average)
Fermentation: indigenous yeast
Total acid: 6.5 g/L
pH: 3.36
Aging: Fermented and aged 10 months
Type of oak: French oak; 75% neutral, 25% new
Bottling date: August 2016
Release date: July 2018
95 Points
Aromas of wild berries, black fig and ripe dark fruits are intertwined with hints of fresh mountain herbs, mineral, leather, savory spices, and cigar box. On the palate, the rich fruit flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, red currants and cassis are layered with notes of wild sage, dark chocolate truffle, cinnamon, clove, and a kiss of oak.
94 Points
Opens up with an aromatic burst of black cherry jam, wild huckleberry, and a hint of crushed espresso bean. On the palate, the fruit is lush and primary, but it's the secondary notes—toasted nutmeg, dark chocolate truffle, and the signature 'Dry Creek Dust'—that provide a long, savory finish.
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