Happy Anniversary Celebration of the Judgment of Paris- Wine Edition
It’s California versus France! Game on!
Trust me, this is to be Celebrated!
Wait what?
Greek Mythology?!?
No, the Wine one!
Let’s talk about it!
In case you don’t know: the Judgment of Paris was originally known as The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. Someone who liked Greek Mythology thought the Judgment of Paris was clever. (Serioiusly?)
It was held on May 24, 1976. Stephen Spurrier, a British wine seller, who only sold French wines came up with the marketing idea to have California Wines compete with French wines at the tasting. There were 9 French judges who tasted the wines blind (meaning the bottles were covered and the judges did not know which wines were which.) Spurrier was sure that the French wines would win. The judges were also sure. Spoiler alert: They did not.
This was big stuff! California versus France. This was David and Goliath. This was the tortoise and the hare.
Let’s set the stage first:
Way back in 1976, California wine was not what it is today. At all. While there had been wine making in the United States in the 1800s, Prohibition really damaged the industry. While there were great winemakers doing wonderful things in California after Prohibition, the wine stage belonged to France.
When I have mentioned in other posts about Old World Wine and New World Wine, California is totally New World. Europe is Old World, and France considered themselves the head of that world.
The wines chosen for this event were Chardonnays from Burgundy and Napa. For the red wines it was Bordeaux red wines versus California Cabernet Sauvignon. Bordeaux wines are usually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but let’s not worry about that. The wines chosen were the really best from both California and France.
The Unthinkable Result:
Nine French judges with experienced palates tasted all the wines. While the results were not unanimous, the winner of the white category was Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay from Napa. The red category was won by Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was also from Napa. Napa, California wins!
The French judges were not happy. In fact, one of the judges tried to take back her vote. Rather than being humbled, there was shock and disbelief on the part of the French. The French newspapers did not report on the event. Not surprising at all.
Why is this important? Why are we celebrating?
This started to bust the myth that the best wines were all in France. Suddenly there were winemakers from the New World that were being noticed. Barriers were being broken.
There were various rematches of the Judgment of Paris through the years. Some French judges announced that France’s wines would be better if they aged. Still the California wines won. Some other challenges, France won. It didn’t matter. New World wines could compete with the best.
The wines we all drink today, assuming you are not just drinking expensive Bordeaux wines, are being enjoyed because wine makers realized that they could be creative and expand horizons. Even some Old World winemakers were pushing the boundaries of tradition and getting creative. If you want to know more about Super Tuscans in Italy, read my post on the best red blends that are not Bordeaux.
New World wines started to be appreciated for their increasing quality. Exploration of style and variety were growing and expanding. As great as both France and Napa are, the worldwide wine landscape was gaining attention everywhere. In California alone, Sonoma and Santa Barbara and Paso Robles were making delicious wines. Great wine was being found in so many places!
So let’s take a moment on this Anniversary to celebrate! A fun way would be to watch the movie Bottle Shock! Enjoy!
