Ep 376: The 1976 Judgment of Paris -- the Tasting That Made California Wine Famous

<p>First, thanks to listener and <a href= "http://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Patron</a> Rafael C. for the podcast topic this week!</p> <p>It is the 45th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris: a tasting of California and French wines, organized but <a href= "https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/steven-spurrier-dead/2021/03/10/53978970-8102-11eb-81db-b02f0398f49a_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the late Steve Spurrier</a>, that opened the door for wines from the US and all over the New World to be recognized for their excellence. We should raise a glass to him, his partner Patricia Gallagher, and to journalist and author George Taber, all of whom made this event so very significant. </p> <p>Here's a quick recap, all of which we cover in the podcast...</p> <p>In 1976, an English wine shop owner, Steven Spurrier, and the director of his adjacent wine school, Patricia Gallagher, wanted to introduce members of the French culinary elite to the wines of California. The goal was to show them the new developments happening across the world in wine (and to get publicity for Cave de la Madeleine and the Academie du Vin -- genius marketing!).</p> <p> </p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/Wine-A-way-of-Life-Cover_Steven-Spurrier_SM.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style= "font-size: 8pt;"><em>Photo: <a href= "https://blog.bbr.com/2018/04/23/english-gentleman-steven-spurrier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Berry Bros & Rudd Wine Blog</a></em></span></p> <p>In preparation, Spurrier and Gallagher researched, tasted, and carefully selected 6 boutique California Chardonnays and 6 boutique Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. They brought these wines to France and on May 24, 1976 conducted a three-hour tasting that (unbeknownst to them) would change the wine world forever.</p> <p> </p> <p>Nine French judges sat at the Intercontinental Hotel