American History (After Hours): The Judgement of Paris and American Wine

On May 16, 2016, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris with a special American History (After Hours) program at the museum with wine tastings, food, and dynamic conversation. The Judgment of Paris was a pivotal moment forty years ago when American winemakers surprised a panel of French wine experts (and the world) by placing first in a blind tasting that pitted the new American wines against the best of France.
Watch the panel discussion from this evening about the legacy of the Judgment of Paris and American wine history featuring experts and some of the original participants:
Steven Spurrier - The organizer of the 1976 Judgment of Paris.
George Taber - The only journalist to cover the tasting and author of Judgment of Paris (New York: Scribner, 2005).
Warren Winiarski - The winemaker of the winning 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and founder of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Bo Barrett - The CEO and former winemaker at Chateau Montelena Winery and son of the late Jim Barrett who owned Chateau Montelena at the time of the Judgment of Paris.
Violet Grgich - The daughter of Mike Grgich, the winemaker of the winning 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and founder of the winery, Grgich Hills Estate, where Violet is co-proprietor.
Ted Baseler - The CEO of Ste. Michelle Estates and CEO of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
Moderated by Paula Johnson, Curator, National Museum of American History.
View pictures from the evening here: flic.kr/s/aHskAxJT3t

[@anthonyodonnell6105]

Stag's Leap's first-ever cabernet beat Premier Cru Bordeauxs? Incredible. I wonder what the French though when they learned that. What an embarrassment. I can understand their shock and dismay, though ultimately the event was good for them as well as everyone else.

[@rickkan4870]

though or thought ?

[@constancialoubriel]

Great post! Look Forward in seeing your next one Ciao 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@auntymar-marjustme]

Thankyou this was really neat!🍷

[@ktmlifer]

Average current vintages around $150.00 bottle. A bargain for the velvety tasting fine wine from the best vineyards in the US.

[@masteringwine]

lovely raconto

[@chriscontact5857]

I came here because of the youtube channel Today I Found Out just covered this in the episiod The Wine Lover Meltdown.

[@tihomir7]

It seems that Grgich is not important in that story...

[@iVaCay01]

Hall Wines is a sleeping giant.. I’ve not tasted any better wine so far better than what Hall has produced. If you love Red wine, you need to go to St Helena at Hall winery and don’t go cheap. Get their best and I highly doubt you will find anything better. Diamond Mountain 2015 a blend is unbelievable so are Kathryn Hall Carbernet line are not for the inexperienced wine tasters.

[@citadinmoyen1686]

The American wine has the taste of the native's american blood !

[@donaldcook3112]

So , pray tell ... just how exactly do you know the taste of ... 'Native American's blood' to allow your comparison ?

[@citadinmoyen1686]

​@@donaldcook3112 Because I used to be a vampire. But since, I met a werewolf so I stopped to drink blood and now I only eat human flesh

[@borregoayudando1481]

delicious story. **rimshot**

[@andyfish8835]

Lady on far left I's hot.