Judgement of Paris 1976

JEK

JEK

Senior Insider
While I was in Napa last weekend I visited my favorite winery, Grgich Hills. Mike Grgich was the vintner who beat the French Burgundies at their own game in 1976. I picked up a copy of this book which is a great read for everyone who loves wine.

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From Publishers Weekly
In 1976, a Paris wine shop arranged a tasting as a gimmick to introduce some California wines; the judges, of course, were all French and militantly chauvinistic. Only one journalist bothered to attend, a Time correspondent, looking for a possible American angle. The story he got turned out to be a sensation. In both red and white blind tastings, an American wine won handily: a 1973 Stag's Leap cabernet and a 1973 Chateau Montelena chardonnay. When the story was published the following week, it stunned both the complacent French and fledgling American wine industries
 
I have 3 bottles of their 1997 Cab Sav in my cabinet. I hate to open them because I know they are irreplacable. My next birthday perhaps.
 
I can do a lot of things online but ordering wine is not one of them due to our Nazi laws. If the winery is not registered here they won't ship due the aggressive Liquor Control Board tax hungry laws. If the winery is registered with Pennsylvania I can order but there is a 25 % surcharge for taxes and I have to pick the wine up at the local liquor store etc, etc. Not worth it. I can buy Grgich in the wine store in the Premium section.
 
I always have a few bottles of Grgich Hills around. Grgich Hills, Cakebread, and Far Niente are my California favorites.
 
We tasted at Cakebread too. Had no idea it was a family name and still family controlled.
 
I can buy Grgich in the wine store in the Premium section.
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Not the special anniversary wine. We had the same Nazi in VA, but we removed them.
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Every year around this time a friend who lives in Bel Air comes back East to attend a cousins' picnic and he stays with me and as his "rent" he brings me the Grgich of my choice. He will be here next week. I asked for the 2001 Cab Yountville Selection. A little pricey but he's an orthopod and can afford it. Can't wait.
 
Texas has LOTS of dry counties. I live in one of them. It's easy to buy a drink in a "private club," which means almost any restaurant other the McD's, but you can't buy a six pack of beer or a bottle of Scotch. There have been several attempts to vote the county dry, but the liquor stores just across the adjoining county lines join forces with the Baptists and defeat the attempts.
 
Another 10 years passes and now we celebrate the 40th anniversary of this landmark event! I just received my quarterly shipment from Grgich and they include a bottle of chardonnay formulated in the same style as the 1976 winner. Andy, still have those '97s left?
 
John,
We knew George Taber when he used to live in Princeton. He also later organized a blind tasting on behalf of the American Association of Wine Economists similar to the 1976 Judgment of Paris event between wines produced in France and several produced in New Jersey. This event at the Association's conference in Princeton has been called the Judgement of Princeton. I don't think that NJ wines won the blind tasting.:tongue::tongue::tongue:
 
Years ago, 40 some, our trip to Napa, stayed in Yountville, went to Beringer, Rutherford Hill, V. Sattui & Grgich when it was very new, think we chose these based on recommendations from a client of mine. And a fine dinner at the original French Laundry where we walked to from our inn. Fond memories.
 
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