TheParis Wine Tasting of 1976, also known as theJudgment of Paris, was awine competition, to commemorate theUnited States Bicentennial, organized inParis, France, on 24 May 1976 bySteven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, and his American colleague,Patricia Gallagher, in which Frenchoenophiles participated in twoblind tasting comparisons: one of top-qualityChardonnays and another of red wines (Bordeaux winesfrom France andCabernet Sauvignon wines fromCalifornia).^[1][2] ANapa County wine was rated best in each category, which caused surprise as France was generally regarded as being the foremost producer of the world's best wines. By the early 1970s, the quality of some California wines was outstanding, but few took notice, as the market favored French brands. Spurrier sold predominately French wines and believed the California wines would not be favored by the judges.^[3]

The event's informal name "Judgment of Paris" is an allusion to theancient Greek myth.

Red wines

White wines

The eleven judges were (in alphabetical order):^[4][5]

Blind tasting was performed and the judges were asked to grade each wine out of 20 points. No specific grading framework was given, leaving the judges free to grade according to their own criteria.

Rankings of the wines preferred by individual judges were based on the grades they individually attributed.

An overall ranking of the wines preferred by the jury was also established in averaging the sum of each judge's individual grades (arithmetic mean). However, grades ofPatricia Gallagher andSteven Spurrier were not taken into account, thus counting only grades of French judges.^[6]

California Chardonnays vs. Burgundy Chardonnays^[4]

Official jury results:

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	132	Chateau Montelena	1973	USA
2.	126.5	Meursault CharmesRoulot	1973	France
3.	121	Chalone Vineyard	1974	USA
4.	104	Spring Mountain Vineyard	1973	USA
5.	101	Beaune Clos des MouchesJoseph Drouhin	1973	France
6.	100	Freemark Abbey Winery	1972	USA
7.	94	Batard-MontrachetRamonet-Prudhon	1973	France
8.	89	Puligny-Montrachet Les PucellesDomaine Leflaive	1972	France
9.	88	Veedercrest Vineyards	1972	USA
10.	42	David Bruce Winery	1973	USA

California Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Bordeaux^[4]

Official jury results：

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	127.5	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
2.	126	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	125.5	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
4.	122	Château Montrose	1970	France
5.	105.5	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
6.	97	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
7.	89.5	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
8.	87.5	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
9.	84.5	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
10.	78	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA

Average Original grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	14.14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
2.	14.09	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	13.64	Château Montrose	1970	France
4.	13.23	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
5.	12.14	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
6.	11.18	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
7.	10.36	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
8.	10.14	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
9.	9.95	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
10.	9.45	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA

The original grades (out of 20 points) are shown, in alphabetical order by judge.^[4]

Pierre BrejouxOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	17	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
2.	16	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
3.	14	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
5.	13	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
6.	12	Château Montrose	1970	France
6.	12	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
8.	10	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
9.	7	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
10.	5	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA

Claude Dubois-MillotOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	17	Château Montrose	1970	France
2.	16	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
2.	16	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
4.	13.5	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
5.	11	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
6.	9.5	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
7.	9	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
7.	9	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
9.	8	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
10.	7	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA

Michel DovazOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	15	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
1.	15	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
3.	12	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
3.	12	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
5.	11	Château Montrose	1970	France
5.	11	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
5.	11	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
8.	10	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
8.	10	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
10.	8	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA

Patricia GallagherOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	17	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
2.	16	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
3.	15	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	15	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
5.	14	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
5.	14	Château Montrose	1970	France
5.	14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
8.	13	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
9.	12	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
10.	9	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA

Odette KahnOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	15	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
2.	13	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
3.	12	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	12	Château Montrose	1970	France
3.	12	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
3.	12	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
7.	7	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
8.	5	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
9.	2	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
9.	2	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA

Raymond OliverOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	14	Château Montrose	1970	France
1.	14	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
1.	14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
4.	12	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
4.	12	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
4.	12	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
7.	10	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
7.	10	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
7.	10	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
10.	8	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA

Steven SpurrierOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	14	Château Montrose	1970	France
1.	14	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
1.	14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
1.	14	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
5.	13	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
5.	13	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
7.	12	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
8.	11	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
9.	9	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
10.	8	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France

Pierre TariOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	17	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
2.	15	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
3.	14	Château Montrose	1970	France
3.	14	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
3.	14	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
6.	13	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
6.	13	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
8.	12	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
8.	12	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
10.	11	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France

Christian VannequeOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	17	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
2.	16.5	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA
2.	16.5	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
4.	16	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
5.	15.5	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
6.	11	Château Montrose	1970	France
7.	10	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
8.	8	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
9.	6	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
10.	3	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA

Aubert de VillaineOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	16	Château Montrose	1970	France
2.	15	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
2.	15	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
4.	14	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
5.	12	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
6.	10	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
7.	9	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
8.	7	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
8.	7	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
10.	5	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA

Jean-Claude VrinatOriginal grades: out of 20 points.

Rank	Grade	Wine	Vintage	Origin
1.	15	Château Montrose	1970	France
1.	15	Château Haut-Brion	1970	France
3.	14	Château Mouton-Rothschild	1970	France
3.	14	Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	1973	USA
5.	13	Mayacamas Vineyards	1971	USA
6.	12	Château Leoville Las Cases	1971	France
7.	11	Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello	1971	USA
8.	9	Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's Vineyard	1970	USA
9.	7	Freemark Abbey Winery	1969	USA
9.	7	Clos Du Val Winery	1972	USA

Orley Ashenfelter andRichard E. Quandt analyzed the results of all 11 judges instead of only nine and proposed a slightly different ranking (see below). They also stated that only the scores of the first two wines in their ranking were statistically valid, and that the seven other wines could not be differentiated statistically.^[8]

1.  USA Stag's Leap Wine Cellars '73
2.  France Montrose '70
3.  France Mouton '70
4.  France Haut Brion '70
5.  USA Ridge Monte Bello '71
6.  USA Heitz Martha's '70
7.  France Leoville-las-cases '71
8.  USA Freemark Abbey '69
9.  USA Mayacamas '71
10.  USA Clos du Val '72

Some critics argued that French red wines would age better than the California reds, so this was tested.^[9]

The San Francisco Wine Tasting of 1978 was conducted 20 months after the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. Steven Spurrier flew in from Paris to participate in the evaluations, which were held at the Vintners Club.^[6][10]

On 11 January 1978, evaluators blind-tasted the same Chardonnays tasted earlier in Paris.

1.  USA – 1974 Chalone Vineyard
2.  USA – 1973 Chateau Montelena
3.  USA – 1973 Spring Mountain Vineyard
4.  France – 1972 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive.

Ranking lower were Meursault Charmes Roulot 1973, Beaune Clos des Mouches Joseph Drouhin 1973, and Batard-Montrachet Ramonet-Prudhon 1973.

On 12 January 1978, evaluators blind-tasted the same Cabernet Sauvignons tasted earlier in Paris.

1.  USA – 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
2.  USA – 1970 Heitz Wine Cellars Martha's vineyard
3.  USA – 1971 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello
4.  France – 1970 Château Mouton Rothschild.

Ranking lower were Château Montrose 1970, Château Haut-Brion 1970, and Château Leoville Las Cases 1971.

Two tastings were conducted by the French Culinary Institute (now called theInternational Culinary Center) on the tenth anniversary of the original Paris Wine Tasting. White wines were not evaluated in the belief that they were past their prime.^[6]

Steven Spurrier, who organized the original 1976wine competition, assisted in the anniversary tasting. Eight judgesblind tasted nine of the ten wines evaluated. The evaluation resulted in the following ranking:

Results

Rank Wine

1.  USA –Clos Du Val Winery 1972
2.  USA –Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 1971
3.  France –Château Montrose 1970
4.  France –Château Leoville Las Cases 1971
5.  France –Château Mouton Rothschild 1970
6.  USA –Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973
7.  USA –Heitz Wine Cellars 1970
8.  USA –Mayacamas Vineyards 1971
9.  France –Château Haut-Brion 1970

Four of the judges were experts fromWine Spectator and two were outsiders. All tasted the wines blind.

Results

Rank Wine

1.  USA –Heitz Wine Cellars 1970
2.  USA –Mayacamas Vineyards 1971
3.  USA –Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 1971
4.  USA –Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973
5.  USA –Clos Du Val Winery 1972
6.  France –Château Montrose 1970
7.  France –Château Mouton Rothschild 1970
8.  France –Château Leoville Las Cases 1971
9.  USA –Freemark Abbey Winery 1969
10.  France –Château Haut-Brion 1970

A 30th anniversary re-tasting on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean was organized by Steven Spurrier in 2006. AsThe Times reported "Despite the French tasters, many of whom had taken part in the original tasting, 'expecting the downfall' of the American vineyards, they had to admit that the harmony of the Californian cabernets had beaten them again. Judges on both continents gave top honors to a 1971 Ridge Monte Bello cabernet. Four Californian reds occupied the next placings before the highest-ranked Bordeaux, a 1970Château Mouton-Rothschild, came in at sixth."^[11][12]

The Tasting that Changed the Wine World: 'The Judgment of Paris' 30th Anniversary was conducted on 24 May 2006.^[13]

The pearl anniversary was held simultaneously at the museumCopia inNapa, California, and inLondon atBerry Bros. & Rudd, Britain's oldest wine merchant.^[12]

The panel of nine wine experts at Copia consisted of Dan Berger,Anthony Dias Blue, Stephen Brook, Wilfred Jaeger, Peter MarksMW, Paul RobertsMS, Andrea Immer Robinson MS, Jean-Michel Valette MW and Christian Vanneque, one of the original judges from the 1976 tasting.^[13]

The panel of nine experts at Berry Bros. & Rudd consisted of Michel Bettane, Michael Broadbent MW, Michel Dovaz,Hugh Johnson, Matthew Jukes, Jane MacQuitty, Jasper Morris MW,Jancis RobinsonOBE MW and Brian St. Pierre.^[13]

The results showed that additional panels of experts again preferred the California wines over their French competitors.^[12]

Results

1.  USA –Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 1971
2.  USA –Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973
3.  USA –Mayacamas Vineyards 1971 (tie)
4.  USA –Heitz Wine Cellars 'Martha's Vineyard' 1970 (tie)
5.  USA –Clos Du Val Winery 1972
6.  France –Château Mouton-Rothschild 1970
7.  France –Château Montrose 1970
8.  France –Château Haut-Brion 1970
9.  France –Château Leoville Las Cases 1971
10.  USA –Freemark Abbey Winery 1969

Three of the Bordeaux wines in the competition were from the 1970 vintage, identified by theConseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) as among the four best vintages in the past 45 years or more. The fourth Bordeaux was a 1971, described by the Conseil as "very good". Another official French authority, theOffice national interprofessionnel des vins (Onivins), rates the 1971 vintage as "excellent".

The French wine producers had many years' experience making wine, whereas the California producers typically had only a few years' experience; the 1972 vintage was Clos Du Val's very first, yet it performed better than any of its French competitors.

Although Spurrier had invited many reporters to the original 1976 tasting, the only reporter to attend wasGeorge M. Taber fromTime, who promptly revealed the results to the world.^[14] The horrified and enraged leaders of the French wine industry then banned Spurrier from the nation's prestigious wine-tasting tour for a year, apparently as punishment for the damage his tasting had done to its former image of superiority.^[3] The tasting was not covered by the French press, who almost ignored the story. After nearly three months,Le Figaro published an article titled"Did the War of theCru Take Place?" describing the results as "laughable" and said they "cannot be taken seriously." Six months after the tasting,Le Monde, France's most prestigious magazine, reported the tasting where writer Lionel Raux wrote a similarly toned article titled, "Let's Not Exaggerate!"^[15]

The New York Times reported that several earlier tastings had occurred in the U.S., with American chardonnays judged ahead of their French rivals. One such tasting occurred in New York just six months before the Paris tasting, but "champions of the French wines argued that the tasters were Americans with possible bias towardAmerican wines. What is more, they said, there was always the possibility that the Burgundies had been mistreated during the long trip from the (French) wineries." The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 had a revolutionary impact on expanding the production and prestige of wine in the New World.^[3] It also "gave the French a valuable incentive to review traditions that were sometimes more accumulations of habit and expediency, and to reexamine convictions that were little more than myths taken on trust."^[16]

• Bottle Shock, a feature film starringAlan Rickman andChris Pine, dramatized the 1976 wine tasting and debuted at the2008 Sundance Film Festival. A second film (Judgment of Paris, based onGeorge Taber's book of the same name) was in production, and there has been controversy between the makers of the two films with allegations of defamation and misrepresentation.^[17]
• Modern Marvels (S:13, E:54 – "How Wine is Made".^[18][19]) Discussion of the event is summarized in thisHistory Channel show.
• On September 12th, 2025, in an interview between Kip Cranna (ofSan Francisco Opera) andJake Heggie (the composer), Heggie said that he would be creating a one-act opera based on this event for the 2026 FestivalNapa Valley.

• A. W. Baxter
• Mike Grgich
• Warren Winiarski

• TIME Magazine: Modern Living: Judgement of Paris, 7 June 1976 byGeorge M. Taber
• Bottle Shock atIMDb
• 40th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris onYouTube

30th anniversary tasting

• Paris tasting recreated for 30th anniversary fromDecanter Magazine .
• The Judgment of Paris: What the French didn't learn from the legendary wine-tasting 30th anniversary article fromSlate.com.

• 1976 in California
• 1976 in Paris
• 1976 controversies
• May 1976 in Europe
• California wine
• History of Napa County, California
• French wine
• History of the San Francisco Bay Area
• Wine tasting
• Wine-related events
• Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area

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