This year marks an important anniversary for all American wine lovers because it is the 50th anniversary of the famous Judgment of Paris Wine Tasting. Held in Paris, France, in 1976, this blind tasting featured some of the top wines from California and France.
The competition focused on the best Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, and all of the judges were French wine professionals. The surprising result was that two California wines placed first in both categories, shocking the wine world and setting the stage for the global recognition of the high quality of American wines.
The two wines that won the tasting were the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Both wines were from Napa Valley. See the list of the top 10 Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in Table 1.
The competition was covered by Time magazine reporter George Taber, who wrote that the tasting was “the wine shot heard ’round the world.”
The significance of the event was so profound that many historians consider it one of the most crucial events in modern wine history. Not only did it give California wine international attention and credibility, but it also opened the door for other New World wine regions to gain recognition.
The 50th anniversary date of the Judgment of Paris is May 24, 2026, but many wine lovers are celebrating throughout the year by hosting their own reenactments of the tasting with friends and family.
Therefore, this article describes several ideas for wine lovers to create their own celebrations.
Judgment of Paris Wine Tasting: 5 Options
#1 – Classic Blind Tasting (4-Bottle Celebration)
A common method many wine lovers are using is to purchase two bottles of Chardonnay — one from California and one from France — along with two bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, again one from California and one from France. Ideally, they should be selected from the original winners in Table 1 above, but from more current vintages. Wines can be found online, at your local wine shop, or through winery websites. A less expensive option is to purchase the same varietals from different producers in France and California.
Then invite friends and/or family to join you in a blind tasting. Cover the wine bottles with brown paper bags, tinfoil, or purchased blind tasting bags. Give everyone a small taste and ask them to rank the wines from 1 to 4. Then tally the results and see who wins your own private Judgment of Paris celebration. Enjoy the remainder of the wine with appetizers or a meal.
#2 – Wine Enthusiast Blind Tasting (12 Bottles)
Use the same process as above, but purchase six bottles of Chardonnay — three from California and three from France — along with six bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, again three from California and three from France. Use the list of winners in Table 1 above while selecting more recent vintages, because the original vintages are difficult to find and extremely expensive.
#3 – Luxury Blind Tasting Option
Find a wealthy friend who has some of the original vintages in their cellar, and offer to set up a blind tasting event for them.
Currently, the estimated cost of all 10 Chardonnay wines from the original vintages ranges from $17,000 to $48,000, according to AI analysis (using both Claude AI and the paid version of ChatGPT) of auction and online wine shop databases. The cost of all 10 Cabernet-Sauvignon-based wines from the original vintages ranges from $21,000 to $49,000 — if you can even find them.
Most of these very rare bottles can only be found in the cellars of collectors. The two top winners — the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and the 1973 Stag’s Leap S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon — are now featured at the Smithsonian Museum.
#4 – California Road Trip Option
Schedule a trip to California sometime this year and visit some of the award-winning wineries listed above. Many of the original Judgment of Paris winners are organizing celebrations throughout the year and welcome visitors to sign up for these events. Just check their websites for details.
#5 – France Road Trip Option
Another option is to visit some of the winning French wineries this year. Some allow you to schedule visits through their websites, whereas others require advance organization and scheduling through a professional tour guide.
Celebrations Planned at Stag’s Leap and Chateau Montelena This Year
If you decide to do the California road trip option, both of the #1 winning wineries in Napa valley are celebrating throughout the year. Following are some of the options available for you to book.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Visitor Experiences
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa Valley has released a collection of special anniversary wines, including the 50th Anniversary S.L.V. Magnum honoring the 1973 S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon that won the 1976 tasting, alongside the newly released 2023 S.L.V. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste these special wines as part of curated tastings and masterclasses at the winery, starting at $95 per person.
Then, on October 11, 2026, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars will offer a signature immersive tasting experience featuring the seven pioneering Napa Valley wineries that participated in the original Judgment of Paris. In addition, they are hosting national wine dinners in cities across the country, including New York, Miami, Houston, and San Francisco, with partners such as Bastion Collection, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, and Mastro’s Restaurants.
Chateau Montelena Visitor Experiences
Chateau Montelena is offering a special immersive experience in 2026 called “The Story Behind the Bottle” ($75 per person, 60 minutes) at its Napa Valley estate. Visitors will trace the evolution of the estate from 1882 through today using projection mapping and AI-enhanced animation. The experience also includes a guided tasting of current release selections, including the 2023 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay.
Other special opportunities at the Napa Valley location include the chance to taste the newly released Chateau Montelena sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, as well as the inaugural release of Chateau Montelena Brandy #01, also distilled from Chardonnay grapes.
For those visiting San Francisco this year, Chateau Montelena also has a satellite tasting room at the St. Francis Hotel in Union Square.
For some more fun facts about the Judgement of Paris Wine Competition, check out this link entitled ‘50 Years Later: 50 Things to Know About the Judgement of Paris.’
NOTE: Portions of this article were published in Forbes. Republished here with permission.
