Fifty years on, we celebrate —the moment Chateau Montelena stunned the wine world.
The Judgement of Paris, 50 years later – LIVE Interview
Jancis Robinson MW & Bo Barrett, Chateau Montelena
Euronext – The Exchange Building, April 14th 2026
Fifty years on, we celebrate —the moment Chateau Montelena stunned the wine world.
Judgement of Paris 1976, from the personal experience of Bo Barrett and Jancis Robinson MW, as they reflect on their 50 years since the famous tasting. with Guest appearance from Heidi Peterson-Barrett
On May 24, 1976, eleven judges gathered at the InterContinental Hotel in Paris for a blind tasting of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux,
Burgundy, and California. At the time, it was widely believed that only Europe could produce truly fine wine. This tasting would challenge that assumption. Against expectations, Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay outperformed its French rivals, earning the highest overall score of the competition—132 points across all wines, red or white. The result sent shockwaves through the industry, placing American winemaking firmly on the global stage and reshaping perceptions of quality for decades to come.
