Grgich Hills Chardonnay Napa Valley 2009

Great, luscious nose. Light toast. Peach, apricot and golden apple aromas. Nice creamy texture on the palate yet with crisp acidity. Flavors of apple, pear and mango with a nice minerality. 89 pts. 5/10/13 at winery

Pretty white and yellow flowers on the nose. Crisp and fresh, no noticeable oak on the nose. On the palate, a great acid profile. Crisp, fresh and juicy with flavors of apple, pear apricot and only a kiss of oak. Really nice, but very "stainless" compared to other vintages of Grgich. 93 pts. France vs. US Blind Tasting 6/15/12

Although Grgich Hills produces a number of whites and reds, it is best known for Chardonnay—and remains one of the world’s best. They use oak barrels and skip the malolactic fermentation process completely, which differentiates them from most other wineries. Grgich’s 2009 vintage was awarded 91 points by Wine and Spirits and Connoisseur’s Guide gave it 90 points. It has some noticeable acidity and long finish that battles its citrus notes. The oak barreling adds an element of further complexity. While it is already an amazing white wine—that you can enjoy by itself or paired with shellfish and poultry—it will continue to grow over the next few years if you can keep your hands off it. But we bet you can’t! Winery: Winemaker Mike Grgich rose to fame when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay outshined some of France’s best varietals at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, a blind competition. This seminal moment in American winemaking proved that the terroir of California’s budding wine region was on par with or perhaps even surpassed old-world Europe. Of course, having your wine selected as the best white in the world obviously brought him immediate critical acclaim and attention. While Grgich founded his winery just one year later on July 4th, 1977, it took another fifteen years before he could satisfy customer demand and eliminate the 3-case-per-year limit; in fact, his popular winery remains a regular stop on Napa Valley tours. Grgich Hills Cellars renamed itself in 2006 when they shifted to grapes that were exclusively estate-grown, and their production process is certified organic and biodynamic as well as entirely solar-powered. They produce world-class wines that make you feel great, and that you feel great about drinking.