50 years of the ‘Judgement of Paris’ – a milestone in wine history

Château Montelena and the historic tasting that put California on the international map.

24 May 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary ‘Judgement of Paris’ – the blind tasting that permanently changed the international wine world in 1976 and finally put Californian wines on the world map.

As part of a blind tasting organised by Steven Spurrier at the InterContinental Hotel in Paris, a jury of eleven French wine experts tasted Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons from France and California. Against all expectations, American wines took first place in both categories. Château Montelena won the white wine category with its 1973 Chardonnay and instantly became famous worldwide.

The results caused a great deal of controversy at the time. The French media and parts of the wine industry questioned the findings, whilst Steven Spurrier became something of a persona non grata in Paris. At the same time, the tasting marked the beginning of a fundamental shift: international markets, sommeliers and distributors became increasingly open to wines from outside France.

The impact is still evident today. Over the following decades, Napa Valley developed into one of the world’s most important wine regions. The area under Cabernet Sauvignon vines multiplied, and wine regions around the world increasingly looked to the success of Californian producers for inspiration.

Subsequent anniversary tastings also confirmed the quality of the wines from that era. At a re-tasting to mark the 30th anniversary in 2006, Californian wines once again took the top spots.

Château Montelena is still regarded today as one of the defining producers of the Napa Valley and is synonymous with classically vinified, long-lived wines of international significance.

Château Montelena – Napa Valley, USA

At the foot of Mount St. Helena, wines with distinctive character, clear structure, precision and ageing potential are still produced today. Château Montelena combines a classic approach to viticulture with modern winemaking techniques and, particularly with its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, represents a stylistically unique approach within the Napa Valley.

We stock a selection of the estate’s wines in our range.

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