Judgment of Paris: California VS Franc - Book of the Month July 2026
2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the “Judgment of Paris,” the famous wine tasting organized by Steven Spurrier that brought California wines to the attention of the world.
Along with his American colleague, Patricia Gallagher, Steven Spurrier came up with the idea of this tasting wanting to promote his wine shop and also present the quality of California wines to the wine-loving public in the year that the USA celebrated its 200th anniversary. At that time, American wines were far too little known around the world.
Wines from the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties produced both in France and in USA (California) were tasted blind by a group of French jurors. The tasting took place on May 24, 1976, and the result was a surprise for everyone: in both white and red wine categories, the wines from USA came out on top, transforming this tasting, thought to be a relaxed one and made with the aim of presenting the wines of California to the whole world, into a historic one.
Only one journalist was present at this tasting: reporter George M. Taber who was working at the time at "TIME" magazine. In 2005 George M. Taber published the book "Judgment of Paris: California VS France and the historic 1976 tasting that revolutionized wine", thus leaving his story as a legacy to the world.
Chapters:
Foreword by Robert G. Mondavi
Prologue
Part One: A driving dream
Chapter 1. The little wine shop in Cite Berryer
Chapter 2. France ruled the world
Chapter 3. The New Eden
Part Two: The Awakening
Chapter 4. California Dreamer
Chapter 5. Starting over in America
Chapter 6. A revolution begins
Chapter 7. The swashbuckling wine years
Chapter 8. In search of a simpler life
Chapter 9. An apprentice winemaker
Chapter 10. The rise of Robert Mondavi
Chapter 11. Launching a new winery
Chapter 12. A case of industrial-strength burnout
Chapter 13. The rebirth of a ghost winery
Chapter 14. Making the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Chapter 15. Making the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Part Three: The Judgement of Paris
Chapter 16. Voyages of discovery
Chapter 17. California Wines at the tasting
Chapter 18. French Wines at the tasting
Chapter 19. A stunning upset
Part Four: The New World of Wine
Chapter 20. The buzz heard round the world
Chapter 21. A dream fulfilled
Chapter 22. The globalization of wine
Chapter 23. Dispatches from the international wine trade
Chapter 24. France revisited
Chapter 25. Napa Valley revisited
Reasons to read the book: If you haven't heard the story of the "Judgment of Paris" yet, this is just the beginning. You will find countless references to this historical moment in a multitude of other books, interviews and stories told by wine experts. In addition, a film based on this story was also released - "Bottle Shock".
Where to find the book: The book is published in English and can be found on Books Express website where it arrives on order in 2-3 weeks.
More details about the event that went down in history as "Judgment of Paris" can be found here and here.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday & Winesday App
Along with his American colleague, Patricia Gallagher, Steven Spurrier came up with the idea of this tasting wanting to promote his wine shop and also present the quality of California wines to the wine-loving public in the year that the USA celebrated its 200th anniversary. At that time, American wines were far too little known around the world.
Wines from the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties produced both in France and in USA (California) were tasted blind by a group of French jurors. The tasting took place on May 24, 1976, and the result was a surprise for everyone: in both white and red wine categories, the wines from USA came out on top, transforming this tasting, thought to be a relaxed one and made with the aim of presenting the wines of California to the whole world, into a historic one.
Only one journalist was present at this tasting: reporter George M. Taber who was working at the time at "TIME" magazine. In 2005 George M. Taber published the book "Judgment of Paris: California VS France and the historic 1976 tasting that revolutionized wine", thus leaving his story as a legacy to the world.
Chapters:
Foreword by Robert G. Mondavi
Prologue
Part One: A driving dream
Chapter 1. The little wine shop in Cite Berryer
Chapter 2. France ruled the world
Chapter 3. The New Eden
Part Two: The Awakening
Chapter 4. California Dreamer
Chapter 5. Starting over in America
Chapter 6. A revolution begins
Chapter 7. The swashbuckling wine years
Chapter 8. In search of a simpler life
Chapter 9. An apprentice winemaker
Chapter 10. The rise of Robert Mondavi
Chapter 11. Launching a new winery
Chapter 12. A case of industrial-strength burnout
Chapter 13. The rebirth of a ghost winery
Chapter 14. Making the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Chapter 15. Making the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Part Three: The Judgement of Paris
Chapter 16. Voyages of discovery
Chapter 17. California Wines at the tasting
Chapter 18. French Wines at the tasting
Chapter 19. A stunning upset
Part Four: The New World of Wine
Chapter 20. The buzz heard round the world
Chapter 21. A dream fulfilled
Chapter 22. The globalization of wine
Chapter 23. Dispatches from the international wine trade
Chapter 24. France revisited
Chapter 25. Napa Valley revisited
Reasons to read the book: If you haven't heard the story of the "Judgment of Paris" yet, this is just the beginning. You will find countless references to this historical moment in a multitude of other books, interviews and stories told by wine experts. In addition, a film based on this story was also released - "Bottle Shock".
Where to find the book: The book is published in English and can be found on Books Express website where it arrives on order in 2-3 weeks.
More details about the event that went down in history as "Judgment of Paris" can be found here and here.
Carmina Nițescu
Winesday & Winesday App