Napa Valley

• Atlas Peak
• Best of Napa
• Calistoga
• Conn Valley
• Diamond Mountain
• Howell Mountain
• Mt. Veeder
• Oak Knoll
• Oakville
• Pope Valley
• Rutherford
• Spring Mountain
• St. Helena
• Stags Leap
• Yountville

NAPA’S NEW WHOLE FOODS STORE WITH ARTISAN CHEESES AND AMPLE WINE SELECTION – THE TALK OF THE TOWN! I heard it from my hairdresser – everyone’s buzzing about Napa’s new Whole Foods store. I visited just after my appointment, and the place was swarming with people, having just opened on January 16th. I made my way from section to section, mouth wide open, as I marveled over the stunning meat and fish cases, welcoming wine tasting station and astonishing lineup of ready-to-eat deli soups, including Bouillabaisse and Cioppino!

A legend in Napa Valley, Croatian born winemaker Mike Grgich has witnessed -and played a major role in- the transformation of Napa Valley from rural farm town to international wine superpower. His Chardonnays have been victorious at two of the most celebrated wine tastings in modern history. In 1976, the Chardonnay he crafted for Napa's Chateau Montelena beat the best wines France had to offer in the wine industry altering Judgment of Paris. A year later, he partnered with Austin Hills of the Hills Bros. Coffee family to launch Grgich Hills Cellar. The extraordinary winemaking continued as in 1980 Grgich Hills Chardonnay beat 221 other Chardonnays for first place in a blind tasting at The Great Chicago Showdown. The moniker "The King of Chardonnay" soon followed. I had the great fortune of chatting with Mike Grgich recently. What follows is his take on the past, present, and future of Napa Valley wine and Grgich Hills.

October came to Napa Valley bringing with it heavy rain and one final frenzied rush to bring in the last of the grapes. Then, unexpectedly, rather abruptly, an almost eerie post-crush hush fell upon the vineyards. It was as though a curtain had fallen at the close of an epic stage play. The Valley fell silent and reflective. As did I.