He arrived in Napa Valley in 1958 as a penniless refugee from communist Yugoslavia. Eighteen years later, the wine he made humbled the greatest whites of France — and his beret became the most famous hat in wine.
Miljenko “Mike” Grgich lived one of the great immigrant stories in American wine. Born into a winemaking family on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, he crossed the world with almost nothing and rose to make one of the most consequential bottles in history — the wine that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris.[1]
A long road to Napa
Grgich (1923–2023) grew up stomping grapes in his family’s winery, but fled communist Yugoslavia in 1954, making his way through Germany and Canada before finally reaching Napa Valley in 1958.[1] There he learned from the best, working under the great André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyard before taking the winemaker’s job at Jim Barrett’s Chateau Montelena.
The bottle that changed everything
It was at Montelena that Grgich made the 1973 Chardonnay that, at the 1976 Paris tasting, beat the finest white Burgundies and stunned the wine world.[2] The triumph made him famous overnight, and a bottle of that Chardonnay — along with one of his trademark berets — now resides in the Smithsonian as one of the objects that shaped America.[1]
A refugee with nothing made the wine that told the world California had arrived.
His own name on the door
In 1977, Grgich partnered with Austin Hills to found his own winery, Grgich Hills, in Rutherford, where he spent the rest of his long life making wine and mentoring others.[1] He told his remarkable story in the memoir A Glass Full of Miracles, and lived to the age of 100, dying in 2023 as one of the most beloved figures in American wine.[1]
| Born / died | Dalmatian coast, Croatia, 1923 – Napa, 2023 (aged 100)[1] |
|---|---|
| Reached Napa | 1958, after fleeing communist Yugoslavia[1] |
| His famous wine | The 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay[2] |
| His own winery | Grgich Hills, founded 1977 with Austin Hills[1] |
Part of the Napa story
Grgich’s story runs through the same afternoon in Paris that made Warren Winiarski and Jim Barrett famous — read the full account of the Judgment of Paris and the arc of Napa Valley.
Related reading: the Judgment of Paris · Jim Barrett · André Tchelistcheff · Napa Valley
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mike Grgich?
A Croatian-born Napa winemaker who made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that won the white flight at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, then co-founded Grgich Hills. He lived to 100, dying in 2023.
What is Grgich famous for?
Making the Chardonnay that beat the great white Burgundies at the 1976 Paris tasting — a landmark for American wine — and for his signature beret, now in the Smithsonian alongside the winning bottle.
Sources
- “Mike Grgich” (born Croatia 1923, died 2023 aged 100; fled Yugoslavia in 1954, reached Napa 1958; worked under André Tchelistcheff; made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay; co-founded Grgich Hills in 1977 with Austin Hills; memoir A Glass Full of Miracles; Smithsonian bottle and beret), Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Grgich
- “Judgment of Paris (wine)” (Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay, made by Grgich, won the white flight at the 1976 Paris tasting), Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judgment_of_Paris_(wine)
Want to read more?
Books we drew on and recommend — starting with the definitive account of the tasting Grgich won.
Judgment of ParisGeorge M. Taber
Maestro: André TchelistcheffJames O. Gump
The Wine BibleKaren MacNeilAs an Amazon Associate, Wine History Tours earns from qualifying purchases. This supports our research at no extra cost to you.
