1976 Judgement of Paris Redux

California Chardonnay vs. French Burgundy. California Cabernet vs. French Bordeaux. We know who won in 1976; who will win in 2026?

1976 was a groundbreaking year for the fledgling California wine industry. American wines were gaining respect and popularity at home, but oversees they were not taken as serious competition to established wineries with hundreds of years’ experience and history.

So, in celebration of America's Bicentennial, British wine merchant Steven Sperrier and his American associate Patricia Gallagher, organized a competition featuring top California wines against French wines. The pair aimed to showcase California Cabernets and Chardonnays against prestigious Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, with the goal of boosting the reputation of New World wines. The judges were all French wine professionals, and the competition saw California wines take the top spots in both categories, causing a shock within the French wine industry.

Fast forward to 2026. Can California wines still hold their own against their French counterparts? Let's find out. Obviously, we cannot procure the exact vintages available in 1976 since they ranged from 1969-1973. Even if we could, they would not be palatable. However, we have managed to procure three of the top four scoring wineries/Chateaux with their current vintages, along with others from the competition. The wines range in price up to $349 per bottle.

The original Judgement of Paris featured 10 white and 10 red wines, but in the spirit of time (and cost), we will be tasting the wines in two flights: three white wines in the first flight and three red wines in the second flight.

The wines will be tasted blind in Riedel glassware, and each "judge" will get a score sheet based on 20 points similar to 1976 and the UC Davis scale. The wines will be scored based on five criteria: appearance, aroma, palate, finish, and overall quality. At the end of the tasting, we will tally up the scores while the judges enjoy some charcuterie and sparkling wine. The winners will then be announced.

Our Judgement of Paris Redux is only open to 10 lucky wine enthusiasts. May the best wines win!

Please note: Charcuterie will be served after the tasting, but no food is served during the judging with the exception of baguette and water, as they did in 1976. Please make sure you eat before the event so as not to taste on an empty stomach.