In 1976, something remarkable happened in the wine world that changed the industry forever. This event is known as the Judgment of Paris, and it was a blind tasting competition that pitted French wines against California wines. The judges were all French experts, and the event was held in Paris.
The Background
At the time, French wines were considered to be the best in the world. California wines were relatively unknown and not taken seriously by most people in the industry.
However, a British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier had a different opinion. He believed that California wines were just as good as French ones and decided to put this theory to the test.
The Competition
Spurrier organized a blind tasting competition where he invited nine French judges to taste ten white Burgundies and ten red Bordeauxs alongside ten Chardonnays and ten Cabernet Sauvignons from California. The judges had no idea which wine was which and were only given glasses numbered from one to twenty.
The Results
To everyone’s surprise, California won both categories! A Californian Chardonnay beat out a Meursault Charmes 1er Cru from France, and a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon beat out a Château Mouton Rothschild 1970. This outcome shocked everyone in attendance, especially the French judges who couldn’t believe they had chosen Californian wines over their beloved French ones.
The Aftermath
The Judgment of Paris put California on the map as a serious contender in the wine world. It also gave other New World wine regions like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa hope that they too could produce great wines that could compete with traditional European ones.
The event also highlighted how subjective wine tasting can be since even experts can’t always identify which wine is which or predict which one they will like the most. This opened up a new era of wine appreciation and helped to democratize the industry.
Conclusion
The Judgment of Paris was a seminal moment in the history of wine and helped to shift people’s perceptions about which countries could produce high-quality wines. It also showed that even experts can be surprised by their own preferences, making it clear that taste is subjective and ultimately down to personal preference.
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