Grgich Hills Estate
2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel
Zinfandel
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Made in Nature
Today marks the 4th successive vintage that we have had the distinct pleasure to showcase this excellent wine. We went absolutely wild about the 2008 and 2007 vintages, but today’s 2009 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel delivers an extra wallop of flavor and refinement.
Worth every penny, this Zin is very highly recommended. Delicious and dark, with concentrated fruit and dark spice, this wine is everything that a Zinfandel should be. With black fruit, earth and spice that exist in elegant even proportion, this wine shows beautiful balance.
Amazingly delicious, we put the full weight of our recommendation behind this wonderful, balanced and very flavorful wine.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Deep, dark, and foreboding, this wine shows dark maroon hues from core to glinting edge. |
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| Smell: | Heady and full with deep black fruit that is supported by dark French oak. Aromas of dark blackberry, cassis, black cherry and brown sugar lead the way. Allow the wine to breathe, and violets, dusty dried mushroom, soft spice and black pepper emerge. |
| Taste: | Concentrated and delicious with flavors of darkest black cherry, blackberry and black currant. Earthy leather, dried leaves, black pepper, espresso bean and baker’s chocolate emerge after a little swirling. |
| Finish: | Smooth and elegant, with a classic Napa Valley Zinfandel finish that lasts forever. |
| Pairing: | This classic Zinfandel begs to be paired with a juicy peppercorn-crusted New York strip steak. |
What the Winery Says
We grow our Zinfandel naturally, without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, at our estate vineyard in Calistoga, nestled in the northern tip of Napa Valley. This food-friendly Zinfandel’s flavors of strawberries, licorice and a hint of white pepper make it the perfect match for grilled meats, Lasagna, pizza topped with tomato sauce and beef stews.
Wine Profile:
Vintage: 2009
Varietal Composition: 98% Zinfandel, 2% Petite Sirah
Appellation: Napa Valley
Acid: 5.6g/L
Aging: 15 months in large oak casks
Fermentation: Indigenous yeast. Pressed off skins early to retain fruit character
Alcohol %: 15.3
Vineyard Notes:
All of our vineyards are certified organic and Biodynamic®. Mike Grgich’s home overlooks our vineyard north of Calistoga, where the gravelly loam provides excellent drainage and the cloudless days and cool nighttime temperatures are perfect for sun-loving Zinfandel. The vines are head pruned to protect the grapes from sunburn. This unique site and our natural farming create concentrated, complex flavors in the wine.
Production Notes:
We co-fermented the Zinfandel with a touch of Petite Sirah to add complexity and structure and then aged the wine in large oak casks so the flavors are well integrated but not overwhelmed by oak.
About the Winery
Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Eminent French judges chose Mike’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu!
The Paris Tasting served notice to the world that the California wine industry was on the move, and it laid the groundwork for the creation of Grgich Hills Cellar. Today, we remain committed to making distinctive wines with quality, consistency and longevity. We are proud that world leaders such as Presidents Reagan and Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand chose our wines to serve at state dinners, but we are just as proud that every single day discriminating wine drinkers count on Grgich Hills to turn their own dinners into special occasions.
Winemaker Ivo Jeramaz
Ivo was born in Croatia to a family of grape growers and as boy he assisted in making wine for his family’s enjoyment. In 1986, with the help of his uncle, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, Ivo followed his dream and came to Napa Valley.
He quickly fell in love with the scenic beauty of the area and became fascinated with wine making. During his almost-three decades at Grgich Hills Ivo has worked his way up in responsibility, learning the classic style and art of winemaking from his uncle, supported by the tools of science and technology.
While he has taken enology and viticulture courses at UC Davis, Ivo says, “I’ve learned more working in the vineyards and in the winery with Mike.” Under the guidance of his uncle, Ivo is now responsible for the day-to-day operations in the cellar and the vineyard.
“At Grgich Hills, we grow grapes like my grandfather did, farming without chemicals and pesticides,” Ivo says. “Mike taught me early in my career that you need great grapes to make great wine. Over the years, I’ve focused on working with the land. Through our natural farming, it’s been very rewarding to see the soil alive with healthier plants than under conventional farming. It allows the wines to be more authentic—more distinctive.”
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Vineyard Notes
Since 2003, our vineyards have been in full production, and our wines are 100% estate-grown, produced, and bottled. We have 366 total acres planted in five vineyards that form a string of pearls running through the heart of Napa Valley: American Canyon, Carneros, Yountville, Rutherford, and Calistoga.
Each has its own unique climate, and we have carefully chosen the varietals best-suited for each vineyard’s terroir. Because our vineyards are so vital to the success of our winemaking, we put great emphasis on being thoughtful stewards of our land and vines. We have done so for more than 30 years, and that is one primary reason why Grgich Hills has consistently produced award-winning wines that are enjoyed across America and all around the world.
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Sustainable Farming Practices
Our guiding philosophy is quite simple: great wines always begin with exceptional fruit. Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, we farm our five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and they are all Certified Organic.