The Judgment of Paris at 50. . .

As the calendar page turns to 2026, we are looking at a wine world completely altered by a tasting that took place 50 years ago this year – the Judgment of Paris. In 1976, this low-key wine tasting in a Paris hotel upended the global wine hierarchy. Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant based in Paris, had the idea to pit top French wines against a handful of California upstarts. No one expected the Californians to win – not Spurrier, not the French judges, not even the Californians. But they did, and it changed everything.

What wines broke the proverbial wine glass ceiling?

Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay took first in the white wine tasting, beating out a lineup of serious Burgundy, including Meursault Charmes from Roulot, Puligny-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive, and Drouhin’s Beaune Clos des Mouches. Other California wines in the mix included Chalone Vineyard 1974, Spring Mountain Vineyard 1973, and David Bruce Winery 1973 – producers that had barely broken out of the local scene at the time.

In the red tasting, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon came out on top, ahead of Château Mouton-Rothschild 1970, Château Montrose 1970, Château Haut-Brion 1970, and Château Léoville Las Cases 1971. The California lineup also included Ridge Monte Bello 1971, Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 1970, Clos Du Val 1972, Mayacamas 1971, and Freemark Abbey 1969. These were early days in Napa – several of those producers were still finding their footing – but in a blind tasting judged by top French palates, they outperformed some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious names.

That tasting didn’t just put California on the map, it tore up the old map entirely. Suddenly, great wine didn’t have to come from France. Great wine could come from anywhere, and this idea changed the global wine industry more than any single event before or since. Fifty years later, the anniversary is getting a proper tribute. From May 24 to 26, 2026, Napa Valley will host the official celebration at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, with support from Napa Valley Vintners and the original producers. The weekend includes a full blind tasting re-creation, verticals of the original wines, panels with winemakers and critics, and a gala dinner exploring the Franco-American dynamic at the heart of the event. There’s also a rescreening of Bottle Shock, the 2008 film that loosely tells the story. The late and great Alan Rickman plays Spurrier. The film takes liberties with the timeline and characters, but it helped cement the Judgment of Paris story for a broader audience. Paris will also host its own commemorative tasting and exhibition in June 2026; those details are expected early in the year.

The 1976 tasting wasn’t about declaring a winner – it was about breaking an assumption. These assumptions are still being challenged; in 2023, a blind tasting in London, organized by wine writer Matthew Jukes, assembled a lineup of prestige cuvée Champagnes and top English sparkling wines. The winner – Nyetimber 1086 Prestige Cuvée 2010 – beat out Dom Pérignon 2013, Krug Grande Cuvée, Cristal, and others. As Jukes told The Drinks Business, “It was exactly like 1976. They picked the wine they loved the most – and it happened to be English.”

Then in 2025, a second tasting followed. This time, Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2018 was ranked above Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2012, Bollinger La Grande Année 2014, and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs on multiple judges’ scorecards. While no direct quotes from the panel were published, Club Oenologique and The Buyer both reported “genuine surprise” among judges, particularly those less familiar with English sparkling.

It didn’t cause the same uproar as 1976 – the playing field is more level now – but the message still lands: don’t assume the best wine in the room comes from the most famous name on the list... and don’t sleep on English sparkling. Fifty years later, the Judgment of Paris still inspires people to be surprised. One of my professional regrets is having to cancel my attendance at a wine event that Spurrier was attending. I had hoped to shake the hand of the man who helped change and broaden our collective wine perspectives.

As we start 2026, we can approach the world of wine with an open mind and curious palate, awaiting to be delighted and charmed by new wines and comforted by beloved bottlings. Here's to a deliciousNew Year!