Celebrating a Century: Winemaker Mike Grgich Turns 100

By Sasha Paulsen

Throughout his life Miljenko “Mike” Grgich has remembered — and practiced — three pieces of advice his father gave to him when he was a boy in Croatia:

• Every day do your best.

• Learn something new every day.

• And every day make a new friend.

By the time you reach 100 years, that’s a lot of friends.

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich Celebrates 100 Year - Tim Carl Photo

Many of them gathered over the May 20 weekend to celebrate with the Napa Valley vintner, who is frail now and in a wheelchair but still wears his trademark beret and is still spunky enough to sing his favorite song, “You Are My Sunshine.”

Grgich actually hit 100 on April 1.

“But he’s no fool,” quipped his daughter, Violet, who added, “I can’t tell you how wonderful this is to celebrate his 100 amazing years.”