This page will be dedicated to the best wineries in the world. It will feature several wines from their portfolio and hopefully soon will add videos and interviews from these wineries.
Please reach out to me if you would like your wines possibly featured on my website. Contact Form.
Grgich Hills
During the 1976 Famous Paris Tasting Mike Grgich crafted the legendary 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay which finish first in the blind tasting. In 1977 Mike and Austin Hills break ground in Rutherford to start the new winery name. In 2023 Mike passes away at 100. What an amazing life and Grigich Hills still makes dry style wines and never were swayed by the fade of making high octane wines to appease the modern wine critics.
The Wines:
- 2021 Grgich Hills Chardonnay Paris Tasting Commemorative Napa Valley – USA, California, Napa Valley (4/15/2026)
Grgich Hills Tasting at Haskell’s Minnetonka (Haskell’s, Minnetonka): Glasvin Kane. 2,500 bottle produced. Wow was this good with saline, minerals, lime, dust, tropical fruit and wood. Complex and medium plus finish. Outstanding quality and balanced wine. 40% New Oak. 93+ (93 points)
- 2022 Grgich Hills Chardonnay – USA, California, Napa Valley (4/15/2026)
Grgich Hills Tasting at Haskell’s Minnetonka (Haskell’s, Minnetonka): Glasvin Kane. Outstanding Napa Chardonnay and very balanced. Good acidity as well. Apple, Carmel, pear, spices, wood, lemon and minerals. 30% New French Oak. Very good on value and quality. (92 points)
2021 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (5/31/2026)
Day 1: Glasvin Kane. Diam closure. Wow trying this vs. the 21 Austin Hope Paso and what a difference estate fruit and real wine making can do for the enjoyment of a wine. Had this 2 other times and rocking again. Spices, cherry, blueberries, floral, wood, minerals and earth. Very balanced effort and drinking well young. Great but for under $60. 93 points
Day 2: Well a well made wine gets better on day 2 which this one did and is the best bottle of the 21s I have tasted. Cassis, blueberries, floral, wood, earth, coffee beans, minerals, spice and rose petals. Medium plus finish and outstanding quality for the price. One of the best from Napa for the money. 94 points
Day 3: Holding form over 3 days and outstanding quality. This is up there with the best Napa wines under $60.
Recommendation: Easy buy from a great vintage. (94 points)
- 2021 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Paradise Block Old Vine – USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville (4/15/2026)
Grgich Hills Tasting at Haskell’s Minnetonka (Haskell’s, Minnetonka): Glasvin Kane. Excellent wine with blue currants, cherry, rose petals, perfume, underbrush, baking chocolate and spices. Concentrated and will benefit in the cellar. Outstanding for sure! 95+ (95 points)
2020 Grgich Hills Zinfandel – USA, California, Napa Valley (4/16/2026)
Day 1: Glasvin Kane. Diam 10 Closure. This is outstanding and no smoke taint here. Bramble, pepper, spices, dark currants, floral, minerals and earth. Medium plus finish. Balanced wine and love it. 92 points
Day 2: Love this wine with menthol, spices, pepper, bramble, dark currants, black licorice and earth. Love it. 92 points
Day 3: My friend Tom did not enjoy this style but love it myself. Earth, dark currants, bramble, spices, black licorice and pepper. Medium plus finish. Very good stuff. 92.5 points
Recommendation: Try a bottle. (92 points)
Oregon Winery Features
Last July I enjoyed visiting the Willamette Valley and enjoyed visits at many top wineries. Here are some of the highlights.
Mark Ryan
Well Mark Ryan (notes) was a newer discovery for me last summer. While I knew the name one can only buy so much wine. Well here are my extensive reviews of their wines.
Result of a Crush
No better winery to start than this one. The only wine club I have ever joined and I have tasted more of their wines than all other critics combined. The 2021 Result of a Crush Syrah The Unnamed Series continues to be the best wine in the world for under $25 with shipping. I personally have purchased 100 bottles of it and have 38 tasting notes.
Result of a Crush started in 2011 by Amanda Reynvaan & her sister Angela Reynvaan Garratt with consulting from the great Matt Reynvaan who makes some of the top wines in all of Walla Walla at Reynvaan.
Here are the amazing wines in order of vintage that I have sampled over a short span. Result of a Crush was started by Amanda Reynvaan and her sister Angela Reynvaan Garratt in 2011, along with their brother Matt as consulting winemaker. Their story is about producing great wine for an even better price. These wines are all estate grown and produced in the Walla Walla Valley, with some of the vines established dating back to 2004.
