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May 29, 2005
Last Saturday’s, May 21, 2005, Wines: Grgich Hills
Time to review the wines of last Saturday’s, May 21, 2005, “Taking a Break” fun tastings. (cont.)
My second stop was my favorite Elk Grove Beverage store, where I anticipated sampling a number of Grgich Hills wines, during the traditional “Saturday afternoon tasting.” It always feels great when I walk into a store and am greeted by the staff with glowing smiles and near high fives!
There I was served two whites and two reds from Grgich Hills:
Grgich Hills '03, Napa Valley, Fume Blanc: $18.99, (87pts.)–Brilliant, of medium intensity, a green tinge color with pronounced legs; tropical fruit, citrus, melon, and oak–vanilla, grassy; reasonably acidic, off dry, full bodied, well balanced, moderatly complex, a long crisp finish of good quality. Took a couple home!
Award 1: GOLD, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Award 2: GOLD, 2004 Tasters Guild International.
Alcohol ................. 13.7% by volume
Fermentation........ 85% tank; 15% barrels
Harvest date ......... September 10-18, 2003
Sugar .................... 23.1¥ Brix
Bottling date ........ March 2004
Release date .......... July 1, 2004
Residual sugar ..... .15%
Total acid ............. 6.6 g/L
pH ........................ 3.31
Time in oak........... 5 months
Type of oak ........... 2-yr. old French oak
Case production ... 14,862
Grgich Hills '02, Napa Valley, Chardonnay: $26.99, (83pts.)--Brilliant, very light straw in color of medium intensity–nice legs, too; floral, fruity, apple and citrus, caramel and vanilla; medium acidity, off dry, full-bodied,; balanced, moderately complex, medium length finishes on a good quality oak note–nicely breed.
Award 1: BEST OF CLASS, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle
Award 2: SILVER, 2005 Monterey Wine Comp
Alcohol ............ 13.9% by volume
Fermentation ... 100% barrels;
no malolactic
Harvest date .... Sept. 9-25, 2002
Sugar ............... 23.0¥ Brix
Bottling date .... July 2003
Release date .....December 1, 2004
Residual sugar .25%
Total acid ......... 7.1 g/L
pH.................... 3.22
Time in oak ...... 10 months
Type of oak ...... French barriques:
50% new; 50% year-old
Production....... 37,000 cases
Grgich Hills '00, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $44.99, (85pts.)–Slightly hazy, dark ruby red, with pronounce legs; vegetal, dry herb, tobacco, fruit, berries, black currant, jam, vanilla; medium acidity, smooth tannins, balanced, complex, with a moderately long finish–I liked it.! Good through 2010.
Alcohol ..................... 13.9% by volume
Fermentation ........... stainless steel tanks
Harvest date ............ October 4-20, 2000
Sugar ....................... 24.4¥ Brix
Bottling date ............ February 2003
Release date ............. March 2004
Residual sugar ......... 0.02%
Total acid ................. 6.5 g/L
pH ............................ 3.40
Time in oak .............. 2 years
Type of oak............... 80% French
20% American
80% new
Case production ...... 14,771
Blend ........................ 90% Cab. Sauvignon,
8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Grgich Hills '02, Napa Valley, Zinfandel: $22.99, (87pts)--Brilliant, dark ruby red with pronounced legs; fruit, berry, black and raspberries, spicy, black pepper, nicely oaked; high acidity, smooth tannis, full-bodied, moderatly complex, excelent moderatly long finish.
Alcohol .................. 14.5% by volume
Fermentation ........ 2 weeks
Harvest date .......... Sept. 21 - Oct. 8, 2002
Sugar .................... 24.9 degrees Brix
Bottling date .........March 2004
Release date ...........April 1, 2005
Residual sugar ......Dry
Total acid .............. 6.3 g/L
pH ......................... 3.56
Time in oak ........... 13 months
Type of oak ............ 2-year-old
French and American
Case production .... 8,160
Blend ..................... 93% Zinfandel
7% Petite Sirah
About Grgich Hills:
The “Paris Tasting” of 1976. There, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked: they had chosen Mike’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu! The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike Grgich a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.
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. After his victory in Paris, Mike sat down with Austin Hills and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl, from the Hills Bros. Coffee family, and on Independence Day 1977, they gave birth to Grgich Hills. It was an ideal partnership. Austin owned premium vineyards in Rutherford, in the heart of the Napa Valley, and with his extensive background in business, he put the winery on its financial feet. Mike, with his fierce commitment to making wines of the highest quality, began producing what immediately became our signature wines: the exquisite, richly complex Chardonnays that win awards and delight wine lovers across America and throughout the world.
Today, as we enter our 27th year, we remain committed to making distinctive wines of the highest quality. 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.
Posted by fortna at May 29, 2005 10:44 AM