Who Won the Judgment of Paris?

By Alice Nichols

In the world of wine, the Judgment of Paris is a legendary event that took place in 1976. It was a blind tasting competition between French and Californian wines that changed the course of history for American wines.

The judges of the competition were all French wine experts, and it was expected that they would choose the French wines as the winners. However, to everyone’s surprise, something else happened entirely.

The Contestants

The contest featured ten white and red wines from France and California each. The French wines were from regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Loire Valley.

The Californian wines were from Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The judges were all French wine experts who tasted each wine blindly without knowing which country or region they came from.

The Results

When the results were announced, it was an upset for France as California had won both the white wine and red wine categories. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon was declared the best red wine in the competition, while Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay took home first prize in the white wine category.

The Aftermath

The results of this competition proved to be a turning point for American winemakers as it shattered the myth that only French wines could be considered superior. It gave American winemakers worldwide recognition and opened doors to international markets.

Conclusion

In conclusion, although it was just a simple blind tasting competition between two countries, it changed everything for American winemakers. It gave them recognition in an industry that had been dominated by France for centuries. Today, Napa Valley has become an internationally recognized wine region due to this event that occurred back in 1976.

  • France may have lost this battle,
  • But America won the war,
  • The Judgment of Paris changed the game,
  • And American wines have never been the same.