The success of the California wine industry can be traced to "our unique and varied bouquet of cultures," maintains California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His sentiments were among many paying tribute last week to one of the valley's best known immigrant winemakers, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich.

"From the Spanish missionaries who established our first vineyards in 1769 to the French, German, Italian and other European immigrants who founded our early wineries, these pioneers -- including you, as a proud Croatian-American -- represent the spirit of innovation and hard work that makes ours a robust state," the governor declared in a note presented at a celebration of the life's work of vintner Grgich at the Culinary Institute of America Friday night.

The Grgich salute was timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Paris tasting, the landmark event that helped put California wines on the world map. Celebrating the honoree's Croatian roots and the contributions he's made to winemaking, the dinner gala featured Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson as emcee and reminiscences from Margrit Biever Mondavi, winery co-founder Austin Hills and a touching video tribute to Grgich's life and career by Napa's Tom Fuller.

Besides honoring Grgich's achievements, the event raised more than $50,000 to establish the Miljenko "Mike" Grgich Scholarship for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America's Rudd Center.

Offering her own sentiments as well those of vintner/husband Robert Mondavi, Margrit Mondavi recalled she was a tour guide at the winery when Mike Grgich signed on in 1968 as assistant winemaker. "The winery won its first prestigious award for its '69 cabernet sauvignon, a wine made when Mike was in the cellar. After he left Mondavi in 1972, he made us proud when the chardonnay he made won the Paris tasting. His loving smile and strength of heart brings us (in the wine industry) together. Thanks for what you have done for the wine industry."

Nephew Ivo Jeramaz, also born in Croatia, thanked his uncle for "giving me the opportunity to be part of his vision and dreams. Working with Mike, you learn to be committed and dedicated. He'll tell you the wines are like children. Today we babysit six wines made from biodynamically grown estate grapes and, as a match, I have six children."

"I am not only proud to be his daughter," declared Violet Grgich, "but of how he passes along his knowledge to future generations (here and in his homeland). He told us how much he learned from his father and that we should learn a little bit every day. He improves every day himself. I can only hope I inherited his wisdom."

Remarking that "this is the nicest day of my life," the 83-year-old honoree recalled "the fight to survive as a member of a poor family in a poor country. I was fortunate in coming to the Napa Valley, although I still have Croatia in my heart."

He credited his success with wine because he was "weaned from breast milk to wine." He talked of being hired by Lee Stewart at Chateau Souverain, making Champagne for Christian Brothers and getting valuable cellar smarts from dean of California winemakers Andre Tchelistcheff. "I was only guaranteed work for two months by Andre," Grgich recalled. "But I guess he liked me because he kept me on and gave me a 25 cent raise.

"Next came Robert Mondavi and the two of us worked to make the best cabernet sauvignon in California. He inspired me. Every Monday we would taste the great wines of France and every Monday he would tell me we could make wines as good as the French.

"The victory in Paris was a victory for Lee Stewart, Andre Tchelistcheff and Robert Mondavi and all the winemakers of Napa Valley."

Indeed it was, for Grgich -- the diminutive beret-topped man with the big smile -- set out to produce quality wines. His efforts have been validated again and again. Pop the cork on any bottle of Grgich Hills wine and see for yourself.

Five of Grgich's excellent, food-friendly wines were poured at the event. All are worth seeking out:

Grgich Hills 2005 Estate Grown Fum Blanc ($25): This is an attractive wine for an aperitif or to accompany hors d'oeuvres and freshly shucked oysters. It has a nice fruit/acid balance and, even with alcohol of 14.2 percent, it has delicate mouthfeel. It has a grapefruity taste, with a touch of mineral that is also evident in the aroma -- an aroma that also includes hay and lemon. The wine has an exceptionally long finish.

Grgich Hills 2003 Paris Tasting Commemorative Carneros Chardonnay ($73): This limited edition wine celebrates the 30th anniversary of the 1976 Paris Tasting in which young winemaker Grgich bested a bevy of white Burgundies in an historic blind tasting. Grgich and his nephew Jeramaz, selected the best barrels of chardonnay from the winery's Carneros vineyard for this special concentrated chardonnay. Already an award-winning oak-aged wine, this is a wine one can keep for some time, as it will evolve nicely in the bottle. A complex chardonnay with a rich, creamy nose, it has a lingering finish rife with pineapples and spice and a brisk acidity. Only 867 cases were produced.

Grgich Hills 2002 Napa Valley Merlot ($38): This is Grgich's first estate grown merlot, and a lovely soft, elegant wine it is. It spent 20 months in oak -- only half of the wine in new barrels, though. It is a full, structured wine, but one, if you will, without pretense. It's a delicious merlot and that's all it wants to be. Dusty tannins are evident along with the flavors of ripe Bing cherries and plums, with a hint of anise on the finish. A great wine for mealtime -- and how often have we said that about Grgich wines?

Grgich Hills 2000 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($65): A ripe, complex blend of cabernet sauvignon (90 percent), merlot (8 percent) and cabernet franc (2 percent), this is a cab chock full of blackberries, dark plums and cassis -- evident in both aroma and taste. Still a young wine, this is one I'd be confident in laying down for a few more years as I think it will continue to develop, marrying soft tannins with the exceptional fruit from the 2000 harvest. Although this wine has spent a couple of years in oak, it's aged beautifully without becoming one of those over-oaked monsters we all try to avoid. Should be as good accompanying grilled or roasted lamb as it will with an aged T-bone.

Grgich Hills 2003 Napa Valley Violetta ($75, 375 ml): Brought to its rich, concentrated state by nature's "noble rot," this exceptional dessert wine (named for Grgich's daughter, Violet) is a blend of chardonnay (60 percent), which provides the baked apple component, and riesling (40 percent), accounting for the intense stone fruit taste (mostly apricots). It's honeyed finish makes it an ideal wine to pair with fresh fruit desserts, or just offered as a delightful option for ending the meal. Unfortunately, this wine is available at the winery only. It can be ordered and shipped to wine lovers living only in states where such shipments are permitted by law.

A final thought about Grgich Hills wines: no matter which bottle you select, a wine from Grgich -- and now the second generation headed byViolet Ggrich and Jeramaz -- is one guaranteed to provide joy. These are wines you can count on, time after time after time.