The Sip Heard Round the World: Celebrating 50 Years of the Legendary Judgment of Paris

By TOM MARQUARDT and PATRICK DARR

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, one of the most consequential blind wine tastings ever held. Organized in Paris in 1976 to celebrate the United States Bicentennial, it was conceived by British wine merchant Steven Spurrier and his American colleague Patricia Gallagher. Neither expected New World wines to challenge the venerable estates of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but that’s exactly what happened.

Spurrier and Gallagher were the only Americans among the judges. The French panel featured luminaries associated with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Château Giscours, Taillevent and La Tour d’Argent restaurants, as well as representatives of official wine boards.

All the bottles were served anonymously. In the red-wine category, the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars SLV Cabernet Sauvignon triumphed over Château Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Montrose from 1970. Napa Valley producers filled five of the top 10 spots: Ridge, Mayacamas, Clos du Val, Heitz and Freemark Abbey.

In the white-wine flight, the 1973 Château Montelena Chardonnay claimed first place, with Chalone, Spring Mountain, Freemark Abbey, Veedercrest and David Bruce in the top 10.

The event might have been forgotten if Time magazine reporter George M. Taber hadn’t documented it in his riveting 2005 book, “Judgment of Paris.”

This triumph was a watershed for Napa Valley. Before 1976, European markets didn’t regard American wines as rivals to the French classics. The Judgment of Paris proved that it wasn’t just one outstanding Napa wine—it was a collective victory that put the entire region on the world stage.

We often wonder: are the wines just as good today? And, had Napa wines lost that day, would they have reached the stature they enjoy now? The region’s climate and soils would still have favored fine winemaking, but the instant fame of 1976 gave Napa an irreplaceable head start.

In many cases, the vineyards that produced the winning wines in the 1970s are not the same that give fruit to their modern-day versions, suggesting an apples-to-oranges comparison. Yet the wine philosophies endure and, in many cases, so do the vineyards. But bear in mind that Napa wines were primarily focused on cabernet sauvignon in the 1970s; today, they have other Bordeaux grape varieties available. A good example is the vaunted Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars SLV. The winning 1973 reflects the grapes—cabernet and merlot–planted in the vineyard at the time; after plantings were changed, the 2023 is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Of course, the commitment made to this wine endures.

Head winemaker Marcus Notaro said, “The vines from the 1973 vintage were only 3 years old. Today, SLV has a small block of vines that were planted in 1972, but most of the vines are 25 to 30 years old.”

Hold that thought for a minute: the wine that beat the best from old Bordeaux vineyards came from 3-year-old vines. Today, a winemaker wouldn’t think of making premium wine from such young vineyards.

The structure and concentration in the beautifully textured 2023 version are amazing. We love the addition of cabernet franc for its floral lift and herbal notes. It is rich with dark and red fruit character, minerality, and layers of nuanced chocolate and mocha flavors. It’s the proverbial fist in a velvet glove.

“While there are several differences between the 1973 SLV cabernet sauvignon that won the Judgment of Paris 50 years ago and the one we make today, one thing is constant—the place,” Notaro said in an email. “Regardless of any evolution in blend, winemaking techniques or plantings over the last six decades, it’s my job as winemaker to ensure the distinct personality of SLV expresses itself each vintage.”

Clos du Val, whose 1972 Stag’s Leap cabernet placed 8^th in the Paris competition, was founded by Bernard Portet in the same year—which is a remarkable achievement for a fledgling winery. We often forget about this historic property’s achievement, but it remains a success today even if it often lost among cult wineries with flashy wines. It is doubtful that any Napa Valley winery today could win an international competition with its first release.

Portet said, “The terroir is exactly the same, although the 1972 grapes were coming from our neighbor and vineyard manager, Dick Steltzner, a quarter of a mile north of our own Clos du Val vineyards. The blend was then 80 percent cabernet sauvignon, 20 percent merlot. Now the blends are much more complex, with cab, cab franc, merlot, malbec, carménère, and petit verdot.”

The cabernets from Clos du Val we tasted in recent vintages uphold Portet’s legacy.  The 2023 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon is blended with merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. It has the classic blackberry and plum notes but with supple tannins. The stunner, though, is the 2022 Yettalil blend from the Stags Leap District. The additional grapes—especially the carmenere—make it quite different in composition than the 1972, but it’s a wonderful wine nonetheless.

Another winner still making outstanding wine is Chateau Montelena whose chardonnay beat every French burgundy in the 1976 competition, including a Batard-Montrachet and Joseph Drouhin’s vaunted Clos des Mouches.  A spokesperson for the winery said the 1973 chardonnay was sourced from three vineyards across Sonoma and Napa valleys, none of which were used in the 2023 chardonnay. The fruit now comes from the Oak Knoll district. The 2023 Chateau Montelena chardonnay has layers of citrus and green apple flavors cloaked by racy acidity and a beautiful thread of minerality.

One also wonders whether these same wines would even be entered in such contests today, or whether the red wines would be displaced by the likes of Opus One, Harlan, Scarecrow, Dominus, Dalla Valle, or Chappellet. Both regions have shifted their style considerably. California’s cult wines now run alcoholic and ripe, with tannins softened to near-plushness. Bordeaux, though naturally higher in acidity, has similarly trended toward the lush—a direction shaped in no small part by the out-sized influence of wine critic Robert Parker Jr.

The enduring impact of the legendary 1976 Paris competition is apparent in other developments:

• French partnerships and projects: The French recognized California’s achievement. In 1978 Château Mouton Rothschild teamed up with Robert Mondavi to create Opus One in Napa Valley; LVMH founded Domaine Chandon that same year; Christian Moueix launched Dominus in 1983.
• Soaring prices: Winners in 1976 sold for about $7 a bottle. In 2023, Château Montelena Chardonnay goes for $75, Stag’s Leap’s SLV cabernet sells for $250, while Opus One fetches $490, Dominus $400 and cult cabernets that weren’t around in 1976 exceed $3,000. Napa is in price competition with top Bordeaux and that’s largely driven by the cost of land and grapes.
• Changing ownership: Unlike French estates, Napa properties often pass out of families to corporate owners. Veedercrest halted production for decades; Ste. Michelle Wine Estates teamed up with Marchesi Antinori to buy Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 2007 (later selling entirely to Marchesi Antinori in 2023); Heitz changed owners in 2018; Jackson Family Wines rescued Freemark Abbey from bankruptcy in 2006. Château Montelena and Clos du Val remain in their families.
• Grape-variety focus: Cabernet sauvignon still reigns, covering more than 55 percent of Napa acreage, with chardonnay in second place at 13 percent. The varieties that triumphed in 1976 remain the region’s backbone.

As Napa Valley prepares to celebrate this milestone, it’s clear that the Judgment of Paris reshaped the global wine world.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is hosting a number of events to recognize its milestone. Limited-production bottlings will be released, including a magnum of the Judgment of Paris 50^th Anniversary SLV. Throughout the year there will be many on-site tasting experiences. Special wine dinners will be held around the country. For more information, see https://www.stagsleapwinecellars.com/estate/judgment-of-paris-50th-anniversary/

Chateau Montelena also will be releasing special bottles to commemorate the occasion.

Other epic wines

Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($180). This legendary wine is history in a glass. BV’s flagship wine continues to offer opulence with broad dark fruit flavors, a dash of mint and floral aromas.

Oleandri Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2023 ($200). Andre Tchelistcheff used grapes from this A2 Vineyard in the 1960s and 1970s for the Beaulieu Vineyard’s legendary Georges de Latour reserve wine. Still one of the most prestigious and historic vineyards in Napa Valley, it is the source for this incredibly complex and rich cabernet sauvignon. Wild blackberry and plum flavors with generous mocha notes with a dash of spice. Full bodied and long in the finish, it is enjoyable now but has the potential to age another decade.

Davis Estates Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($155). Very dark in color, this dense and aromatic cabernet sauvignon doesn’t need any support from other grape varieties. Concentrated and forward black cherry flavors with hints of anise and dried herbs.