Behind the Scenes at the Original Judgment of Paris Tasting

Wine Talks is deeply connected to the Judgement of Paris. Not only were the Barretts good customers of our wine shop, Warren Winiarski stayed in our home on a trip to Los Angeles.

The industry was completely different then. California wine had always been a thing, particularly before prohibition. It had even made its way to the east coast in the 1800's. But then came that fateful day in Paris at the Intercontinental Hotel, the Americans won.

In Paris, there was a journalist named George Taber. He had heard about this tasting pitting California's boutique gems against the equivalent (at least from a grape standpoint) French stars. It turned out to be no contest and set the wine world on its ears. Can you imagine, French judges choosing American vintages over their beloved French wines? 

George Taber was the only journalist to show up...and almost didn't.

George Taber never meant to shake the wine world—he just happened to be the only journalist in the room when California shattered centuries of French pride. As you join us on Wine Talks, you’ll walk beside Taber through the candlelit salons of 1970s Paris, where the unsuspecting French sat down to a blind tasting designed to showcase their invincibility, only to watch that myth dissolve, glass by glass. In this episode, you’ll learn how a simple event—what began as a friendly challenge orchestrated by Steven Spurrier—ended up catalyzing the global rise of American wine and undermining the Old World’s complacency. You’ll get an intimate portrait of the Parisian wine scene in its heyday: corner wine shops, eager expatriates, and the odd British merchant shaking things up with unorthodox ideas. Follow Taber’s transformation from a young Time magazine reporter, new to France and mostly ignorant of wine, to the accidental chronicler of one of history’s most dramatic palate shifts. Discover how logistical headaches and legal loopholes almost kept California’s best bottles out of the competition, and what happened when French wine judges realized—too late—that their favorite “Meursault” was actually a Napa Chardonnay. You’ll hear about the aftershocks reverberating through both continents; how careers were built, fortunes made, and the entire wine business transformed overnight. Plus, Taber reveals the stubborn role of luck in history and how something as small as attending the right tasting at the right time can change everything. By the end, you’ll not only understand the Judgment of Paris, but also the passion, humility, and disruption that lie inside every bottle.

#WineTalks #JudgmentOfParis #CaliforniaWine #FrenchWine #GeorgeTaber #StevenSpurrier #ChateauMontelena #StagsLeapWineCellars #NapaValley #WineHistory #WineTasting #WineEducation #BlindTasting #WineIndustry #PodcastInterview #WineStorytelling #WineCulture #CorkHistory #FrenchLifestyle #NewWorldWines

 

1. Time Magazine
   Website: https://time.com
   (Armen refers to working as a journalist at Time magazine.)

2. Chateau Montelena
   Website: https://www.montelena.com
   (Referenced in the discussion about the Judgment of Paris tasting.)

3. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
   Website: https://www.cask23.com
   (Mentioned as one of the winning wineries in the Judgment of Paris.)

4. Charles Krug Winery
   Website: https://www.charleskrug.com
   (Referenced in a story about being poured at an event with President Eisenhower.)

5. Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
   Website: https://www.sebastiani.com
   (Mentioned when Paul recalls stocking the shelves.)

6. Ackerman Wines
   Website: https://www.ackermanwines.com
   (Ackerman, a major New York wine retailer, is referenced.)

7. St. Francis Winery & Vineyards
   Website: https://www.stfranciswinery.com
   (Discussed in context of early synthetic cork usage.)

8. Barefoot Cellars
   Website: https://www.barefootwine.com
   (Mentioned regarding synthetic corks.)

9. Taylor Wine Company (Taylor Cellars)
   Website: https://www.taylorwine.com
   (Referenced in the cork closure story.)