The paris wine tasting of 1976, also known as the judgment of paris, was a wine competition organized in paris on 24 may 1976 by steven spurrier, a british wine merchant, in which french judges carried out two blind tasting. Confident that french wines had no competition, the most prestigious wine experts. France and the historic 1976 paris tasting that revolutionized wine. California is comfortably the united states largest wine region. On may 24, 1976, a group of french wine experts gathered in the capital for a blind wine tasting. Today marked the 30th anniversary of the fateful judgment of paris, where european wine experts. The day california wine beat the french and shocked the world. The salt forty years ago, the top names in french food and wine judged a blind tasting pitting the finest french wines.
But the tastings results proved that california wines could compete. That revolutionary may day in 1976 when california wines. It would seem that california and french wines are in the same playing field as far as winemaking is concerned, but as far as cultural imperialism, france wins, hands down. California would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world if it were an independent nation. The story of the early days of california wine making featuring the now infamous, blind paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as judgment of paris. The event was organized by steven spurrier, a british sommelier who ran a wine. In 1976, britishborn steven spurrier, a fine wine merchant in paris, organized a wine tasting competition between california and french wines, with the expectation that the french wines would win.
B efore 1976, the words judgment of paris called to mind a story in greek mythology. Chardonnay is the most widely planted white grape and cabernet sauvignon is the most widely planted red grape. We wont have to go through that for another thirty years, and by that time all the angry people will be dead anyway. While ridge vineyards paul draper received most of the kudos for his cabernets two wins last week it was also the topscoring wine in the tasting of young california.
Therefore we feel very honoured that our book about france and french wines won this award or prize in this international competition in the category wine and territories or vin et territoires. A guide to the producers and wines behind a revolution in taste jon bonne, erik castro. California wine country currently has 9 american viticultural areas or avas. Although the judges were all french, an american red and white both won a. There are a few truly exceptional winemakers who are shaping the world of wine through innovation and style. The best book ive read and the most useful is the world atlas of wine by hugh johnson and others. The french, the nazis, and the battle for frances greatest. Bottle shock, released in 2008, has become a favorite film for many wine lovers. The wine, made by chateau montelena, became a symbol of the burgeoning california wine.
Texas wine won big at a prestigious competition in california. Bottle shock is a 2008 american comedydrama film based on the 1976 wine competition termed the judgment of paris, when california wine defeated french wine in a blind taste test. On may 24, 1976, spurrier, along with a panel of french wine experts, tasted through 10 white wines and 10 red wines in two blind tastings. Obviously, the french wines were going to win, says george taber, who. California wines won again, with ridge monte bello placing first both. Relive the 1976 judgment of paris at these wineries the press. The judges expected to sniff and gag when they tasted the california wines. Confident that french wines had no competition, the most prestigious wine experts in france agreed to judge. Top honors went to california wines, both red and white. Taber, who has written a book on this judgment of paris and its. It provides a very detailed look at what the current major trends and challenges are in the area. In the new california wine, bonne gives a detailed look at calfornia wine. The day california wine beat france university of california. The paris wine tasting of 1976, also known as the judgment of paris, was a wine competition organized in paris on 24 may 1976 by steven spurrier, a british wine merchant, in which french judges carried out two blind tasting comparisons.
Denman explains why california wines and french wines are different. Needless to say, the french judges were speechless after the points were tallied and the labels were revealed. Winemaker and bootcamp professor frank renaldi talks about how to keep busy winemaking in the winter months and when youre social distancing. Paris, son of a king, is asked to decide which goddess is the fairest. The total volume of the global wine market in 1998 was measured at 6. The napa valley is one of the most important wine regions in the world, and its true that the wine is bottled poetry. Accordingly, this book is the best in the world in the category french wine. California wine california state fair award winners. If you are like me, you have a few favorite wines you know you can count on but i also like to experiment and try new wines. The buyers guide to 75 of the best california wines. If a california wine label identifies the product as a varietal wine, 75% of the wine must be made from the named grape variety. The following is a summary of the results of the 1976 blind taste test, with the points each wine received in parentheses. Spurrier sold only french wine and believed that the california wines would not win.
This is one of the best wine books for anyone who loves. The white house served french wines from the days of george washington right up through lyndon b. We have read each of these wine themed fiction novels and recommend them for those who have a keen interest in wine. Judgment of paris is one of the best books on california wine ive ever read. I learned that this competition has been likened to the film competition in the oscars. Occupying the southern twothirds of the us west coast oregon and washington make up the rest, the state spans almost ten degrees of latitude and 850 miles 70km of coastline.
Best french and california winea test that changed a world. There are no restrictions on the types of grapes used in wines with generic or proprietary names. The salt forty years ago, the top names in french food and wine judged a blind tasting pitting the finest french. When the scores were tallied, the french judges were convinced that the topranking white wine was one of their own. The results proved that chateau montelena could produce some of the worlds finest wines, and that california s wine industry had come of age. In fact, it was chateau montelenas 1973 chardonnay, rated above all other wines. Taber, the only reporter present, recounts this seminal contest and its. Since prohibition was repealed in the 1930s, california wine has grown bigger and better. At this legendary contest a blind tasting a panel of top french wine experts. With chris pine, alan rickman, bill pullman, hal b. Movie bottle shock recounts the historic 1976 paris wine. Bottle shock, a new independent film based, very loosely, on the famous 1976 blind tasting in paris in which two california wines came out on top, much to the chagrin of the expert and. California wine regions run the length of the state, and wine grapes are grown in 49 of california s 58 counties.
May 24, 1976 has gone down in the wine history books as the day when. More importantly, consumers were starting to look at the napa valley in a new light. A well known and highly respected british wine seller and educator, steven spurrier, whose specialty was fine french vintages, organized a blind tasting that put unlabeled french and california. As seasoned professionals and almost exclusively french assessing good wine was a matter of course, as was the expectation that france would handily win. The rejudgment of paris results in california landslide. The new california wine is the untold story of the california wine industry. Everybody knows that french wines are going to win, so why waste a day. It is useful on so many levels, really gives you a whole other visual learning component that you just cant beat. Best wine fictions books, mysteries and more wine stories.
Texas wineries won more awards than ever before at the wellrespected san francisco chronicle wine competition last week. The post how to stay busy in your home winery appeared first on musto wine grape company, llc. California s 3,900 wineries and 5,900 grapegrowers have a significant economic impact. Taber recounts this seminal contest and its farreaching effects. The only reporter present at the mythic paris tasting of 1976a blind tasting where a panel of esteemed french judges chose upstart california wines over frances bestfor the first time introduces the eccentric american winemakers and records the tremendous aftershocks of this historic event that changed forever the world of wine. France and the historic 1976 paris tasting that revolutionized wine audible. Zimbabweanborn tam and i went briefly to gloriously autumnal burgundy last weekend to witness the performance of the zimbabwe team in the fifth world wine tasting championships. California wine regions view avas and varietals by region.
California state fair commercial wine competition awards numerous commercial producers of california wine compete at the california state fair, held annually at cal expo in sacramento, hoping to win recognition and an award. The jury had to select and judge from books from 17 countries when they met in mainz under the direction of claudia quini, oivs president. In order to bear a vintage date, such as 2008, 95% or more of the grapes. But for the next few months, there are going to be some really angry people. The very best wine books picked by pros wine folly.
The morning competition was devoted to white wines and the afternoon was. The current trend in wine is to prefer old world to new world, just as vintage styles are back in vogue, but trends ebb and flow and we think down the road preferences will again swap, just as. Theres no more beautiful road on which to take a pinot noir tasting trip than california s highway 128 as it winds through the anderson valley wine region of mendocino county. On may 24, 1976, a wine tasting took place in paris that changed the worlds view of california wines forever.
With mountains, valleys, plains and plateaux, the topography here is as complex as the climate. British and one american decreed a california wine as the winner in both the. It tells the story about how a chardonnay crafted by a napa valley winery beat every french competitor in the paris wine tasting of 1976, a feat that was unthinkable at the time. Stags leap and chateau montelena beat all famous french wines to the shock of the world. And the concept of california wine tasting better than french wine is a conversation best avoided with the french. The movie bottle shock, loosely based on the book judgment of paris by. The 51 best wine books for 2020 california winery advisor. The competition has long been viewed as a win for california and new world producers in general, as it is believed to have opened up the playing field for the style and flavorprofile of their fine, and highpriced, wine on the international market. California wines beat the french again tasteoff proves california wines age best, too even after 30 years of aging, states cabernets still tops linda murphy, chronicle wine editor. The paris tasting destroyed the myth of french supremacy and marked the democratization of the wine world, influential wine critic robert parker declared in 2001. California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the worlds finest wine.
We enjoy a daily early evening, reading hour, before sitting down for dinner. The tasting was the brainchild of steven spurrier, an english wine merchant who owned an innovative wine shop and adjacent wine school in the center of paris. It stars alan rickman, chris pine, and bill pullman and is directed by randall miller, who wrote the screenplay along with jody savin and ross schwartz. It was may 24, 1976, when a group of wine experts took their seats in paris, france, for two blind taste tests that pitted the vintages of france against those of california. It not only produces some of the finest wine in the world, it is also one of the leading producers of wine in terms of volume.
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