What Wines Won the 1976 Paris Tasting?

By Alice Nichols

The year 1976 marked a significant moment in the history of wine. It was the year that the Paris Tasting took place, which was a wine competition held in France.

The event was organized by Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant who was based in Paris. The competition was designed to pit some of the best wines from France against wines from California, which at that time were not very well known.

The Paris Tasting

The Paris Tasting was held on May 24, 1976, and it consisted of two different categories: red wines and white wines. A total of ten judges participated in the competition, and they were all French experts in the field of wine.

White Wines

In the white wine category, there were four French competitors: Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc, Meursault Charmes Roulot, Batard-Montrachet Ramonet-Prudhon, and Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive. They were up against six American contenders: Chalone Vineyard, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Freemark Abbey Winery, David Bruce Winery, Veedercrest Vineyards, and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.

After tasting and evaluating all ten wines blindly, the judges came to a surprising conclusion – they unanimously chose Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay as the best white wine of the competition! This was a significant upset as it beat out some of France’s most esteemed white wines.

Red Wines

In the red wine category, there were four French competitors: Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1970, Chateau Haut-Brion 1970, Chateau Montrose 1970 and Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1971. They were up against six American contenders: Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973, Heitz Wine Cellars Martha’s Vineyard 1970, Clos Du Val Winery 1972, Mayacamas Vineyards 1971, and Freemark Abbey Winery 1969.

Again the judges tasted all ten wines blindly and when the results were finally announced it was Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon that had won the competition. This was again a significant upset as it beat out some of France’s most famous red wines.

The Aftermath

The Paris Tasting was a turning point in the world of wine. It proved that California wines could compete with France’s best wines and win. Many wine experts credit this tasting with putting California on the map as a world-class wine producer, paving the way for other new-world wine regions to emerge.

In conclusion, the Paris Tasting of 1976 forever changed the perception of American wines and put them on par with their European counterparts. The result of this tasting proved that quality wine could come from anywhere in the world as long as it was made with passion and care.