
Judgment of Paris
California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine
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Narrated by:
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Sean Runnette
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By:
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George M. Taber
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History houses, amid its illustrious artifacts, two bottles of wine: a 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and a 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. These are the wines that won at the now-famous Paris Tasting in 1976, where a panel of top French wine experts compared some of France's most famous wines with a new generation of California wines. Little did they know the wine industry would be completely transformed as a result, sparking a golden age for viticulture that extends beyond France's hallowed borders to Australia, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, and across the globe.
Then Paris correspondent for Time magazine, George M. Taber recounts this seminal contest and its far-reaching effects, focusing on the three gifted unknowns behind the winning wines: a college lecturer, a real estate lawyer, and a Yugoslavian immigrant. At a time when California was best known for cheap jug wine, these pioneers used radical new techniques alongside time-honored winemaking traditions to craft premium American wines that could stand up to France's finest. With unique access to the main players and a contagious passion for his subject, Taber renders this historic event and its tremendous aftershocks in captivating prose, bringing to life an eclectic cast and magnificent settings. For lovers of wine and anyone who enjoys a story of the entrepreneurial spirit of the new world conquering the old, this is an illuminating and deeply satisfying tale.
©2005 George M. Taber (P)2011 TantorListeners also enjoyed...




















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So very interresting!
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The amazing amount of information about the background of key winemakers.
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He delves deep into the vineyards histories, and the vintners histories. He speaks about the tasting he was present for, and he speaks from interviews he had later with people connected to the tasting. He brings the reader up to date information about the wines, the people and the land that was connected to the tasting. A great read.
Thorough and detailed!
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Nice history of Napa
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Great story for oenophiles
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Spoiler, the movie Bottle Shock butchered the actual events of this story.
Definitely read if you like wine and history.
Really interesting, a bit dry
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Fair and balanced.
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Must Read
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this book is very detailed. I learned so much .
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Drink it in!
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