Calif. Winemakers Best French Rivals
By MICHELLE LOCKE
AP
NAPA, Calif. (AP) - French and California winemakers marked the 30th
anniversary of the storied Paris tasting with another sip-and-spit
showdown.

California won - and by more than a nose.

Native wines took the top five of 10 spots, with a 1971 Ridge Monte
Bello cabernet sauvignon from the Santa Cruz mountains coming out on
top Wednesday.

"Today was a snapshot in time and all the stars were aligned properly.
We had a lot of fun," said Peter Marks, director of wine at Copia, the
Napa Valley wine and arts center where the New World end of the tasting
was held. A European panel of tasters met at a London wine merchant to
give their rating.

The May 24, 1976 tasting known as the Judgment of Paris is considered a
milestone in the American wine industry because it shattered the
perception that the New World was capable only of producing cheap bulk
wines.

It was put together by Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant who
owned a shop and wine school in Paris. Spurrier, now a wine consultant,
also was co-organizer of Wednesday's rematch.

The tasting was in two parts, with judges re-evaluating the original
reds and then tasting a variety of modern reds and whites from both
countries. (Whites don't generally age well and weren't part of the
re-enactment.)

Back in '76, it was a complete surprise when California wines
outclassed the French. A Stag's Leap 1973 cabernet sauvignon was top
red and another Napa Valley wine, a Chateau Montelena 1973 chardonnay,
took top white.

Tellingly, the judges were unable to distinguish the French and
California wines, although they thought they could.

Spurrier staged a re-tasting for the 1986 anniversary, and California
wines again took top places, although the No. 1 red then was a Clos du
Val 1972 cabernet sauvignon.

The 30-year anniversary tasting sparked controversy, with some wineries
on both sides of the Atlantic reluctant to have their new vintages
tasted blind, a high stakes game in which someone has to come out last.

In a compromise, the re-enactment tasting was blind, but the new wines
were identified by country so there was no direct competition.

Top French white was a Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru des Pucelles 2002
Domaine Leflaive; for California it was a Talley Rosemary's Vineyard
2002. Top French red was a Chateau Margaux 2000 and the leading
California red was a Ridge Monte Bello 2000.

"It's just beautiful," said Christian Vanneque, who was a judge at the
'76 Paris tasting and again Wednesday in Napa. "It shows that these
California wines ... did win also the test of time."

On the Net: http://www.copia.org/content/node/460

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. 05/25/06 13:02 EDT
---


Sheldon

Sheldon wrote:
Calif. Winemakers Best French Rivals
By MICHELLE LOCKE
AP
NAPA, Calif. (AP) - French and California winemakers marked the 30th
anniversary of the storied Paris tasting with another sip-and-spit
showdown.

California won - and by more than a nose.

Native wines took the top five of 10 spots, with a 1971 Ridge Monte
Bello cabernet sauvignon from the Santa Cruz mountains coming out on
top Wednesday.

"Today was a snapshot in time and all the stars were aligned properly.
We had a lot of fun," said Peter Marks, director of wine at Copia, the
Napa Valley wine and arts center where the New World end of the tasting
was held. A European panel of tasters met at a London wine merchant to
give their rating.

The May 24, 1976 tasting known as the Judgment of Paris is considered a
milestone in the American wine industry because it shattered the
perception that the New World was capable only of producing cheap bulk
wines.

It was put together by Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant who
owned a shop and wine school in Paris. Spurrier, now a wine consultant,
also was co-organizer of Wednesday's rematch.

The tasting was in two parts, with judges re-evaluating the original
reds and then tasting a variety of modern reds and whites from both
countries. (Whites don't generally age well and weren't part of the
re-enactment.)

Back in '76, it was a complete surprise when California wines
outclassed the French. A Stag's Leap 1973 cabernet sauvignon was top
red and another Napa Valley wine, a Chateau Montelena 1973 chardonnay,
took top white.

Tellingly, the judges were unable to distinguish the French and
California wines, although they thought they could.

Spurrier staged a re-tasting for the 1986 anniversary, and California
wines again took top places, although the No. 1 red then was a Clos du
Val 1972 cabernet sauvignon.

The 30-year anniversary tasting sparked controversy, with some wineries
on both sides of the Atlantic reluctant to have their new vintages
tasted blind, a high stakes game in which someone has to come out last.

In a compromise, the re-enactment tasting was blind, but the new wines
were identified by country so there was no direct competition.

Top French white was a Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru des Pucelles 2002
Domaine Leflaive; for California it was a Talley Rosemary's Vineyard
2002. Top French red was a Chateau Margaux 2000 and the leading
California red was a Ridge Monte Bello 2000.

"It's just beautiful," said Christian Vanneque, who was a judge at the
'76 Paris tasting and again Wednesday in Napa. "It shows that these
California wines ... did win also the test of time."

On the Net: http://www.copia.org/content/node/460

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. 05/25/06 13:02 EDT
---


Sheldon

call me stupid or whatever but i would NEVER spit out great wine..it waa
made for drinking, not spitting. i feel that you can not truly taste
wine, beer or food with swallowing it

Grizzman

Sheldon wrote:
Calif. Winemakers Best French Rivals


Idaho - Famous Potatoes

California - Famous Fruits, Nuts and Winos.

;-)


Rusty

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ps.com...
Calif. Winemakers Best French Rivals
By MICHELLE LOCKE
AP
NAPA, Calif. (AP) - French and California winemakers marked the 30th
anniversary of the storied Paris tasting with another sip-and-spit
showdown.

California won - and by more than a nose.

Native wines took the top five of 10 spots, with a 1971 Ridge Monte
Bello cabernet sauvignon from the Santa Cruz mountains coming out on
top Wednesday.

"Today was a snapshot in time and all the stars were aligned properly.
We had a lot of fun," said Peter Marks, director of wine at Copia, the
Napa Valley wine and arts center where the New World end of the tasting
was held. A European panel of tasters met at a London wine merchant to
give their rating.

The May 24, 1976 tasting known as the Judgment of Paris is considered a
milestone in the American wine industry because it shattered the
perception that the New World was capable only of producing cheap bulk
wines.

It was put together by Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant who
owned a shop and wine school in Paris. Spurrier, now a wine consultant,
also was co-organizer of Wednesday's rematch.

The tasting was in two parts, with judges re-evaluating the original
reds and then tasting a variety of modern reds and whites from both
countries. (Whites don't generally age well and weren't part of the
re-enactment.)

Back in '76, it was a complete surprise when California wines
outclassed the French. A Stag's Leap 1973 cabernet sauvignon was top
red and another Napa Valley wine, a Chateau Montelena 1973 chardonnay,
took top white.

Tellingly, the judges were unable to distinguish the French and
California wines, although they thought they could.

Spurrier staged a re-tasting for the 1986 anniversary, and California
wines again took top places, although the No. 1 red then was a Clos du
Val 1972 cabernet sauvignon.

The 30-year anniversary tasting sparked controversy, with some wineries
on both sides of the Atlantic reluctant to have their new vintages
tasted blind, a high stakes game in which someone has to come out last.

In a compromise, the re-enactment tasting was blind, but the new wines
were identified by country so there was no direct competition.

Top French white was a Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru des Pucelles 2002
Domaine Leflaive; for California it was a Talley Rosemary's Vineyard
2002. Top French red was a Chateau Margaux 2000 and the leading
California red was a Ridge Monte Bello 2000.

"It's just beautiful," said Christian Vanneque, who was a judge at the
'76 Paris tasting and again Wednesday in Napa. "It shows that these
California wines ... did win also the test of time."

On the Net: http://www.copia.org/content/node/460


This is a surprise? California wines are some of the best in the world.
I've had more than a few French wines that were just plain awful. Some
blended box wines beat French table wines hands down. I recently had a
bottle of David Bruce Pinot Noir. I cannot recall a French PN ever coming
close to the David Bruce. And if you want a Cabernet Sauvignon that will
blow you away, try the Staglin Vineyards. Worth every penny.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote:

This is a surprise? California wines are some of the best in the world.
I've had more than a few French wines that were just plain awful. Some
blended box wines beat French table wines hands down. I recently had a
bottle of David Bruce Pinot Noir. I cannot recall a French PN ever coming
close to the David Bruce. And if you want a Cabernet Sauvignon that will
blow you away, try the Staglin Vineyards. Worth every penny.

There is lots of crappy French wine on the market. They sell a lot of their
plonk overseas because they have relied on a good name for wines for so long
that people who know nothing about wines think they are getting a good wine
because it is French and it is overpriced. I have had some very nice French
wines so I am not going to dismiss them out of hand. There are a lot of
other regions in the world that are starting to produce some good wines, and
there is no reason they can't. There are lots of places with similar weather
and soil conditions. For that matter, there are things that can be added to
the soil to produce similar effects. People from the European wine regions
have relocated around the world. Here in the Niagara region we have a climate
similar to the Champagne region of France and can grow the same grapes. We
have a flourishing wine business with vitners from France, Germany, Italy,
Australia. You may never get to taste the good stuff them make because most of
it is sold locally. The one hot export item is ice wine, a little too sweet
for my taste, but people pay a lot of money for that stuff.

Sheldon wrote:
Calif. Winemakers Best French Rivals
...
Back in '76, it was a complete surprise when California wines
outclassed the French. A Stag's Leap 1973 cabernet sauvignon

Stag's Leap's big cabs are some of my overall favourites!


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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http://www.sequoiagrove.dk

"You don´t frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons
of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur-king, you and
all your silly English kaniggets. Thppppt!"
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Paul M. Cook wrote:
This is a surprise? California wines are some of the best in the world.
I've had more than a few French wines that were just plain awful.

The "spread" of bigger in French wine than California. If you get a $15+
wine from California and France you can be certain to get something
worthwhile from California (albeit you will not be too surprised - you
know what to expect) but you have to be careful what you buy from
France. However, if you hit the jackpot with the French one, it is so
much more than the Ca. A good Rhone or Haut-Medoc/Pauillac can be amazing.


--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music, Recipes, Photos, and mo

http://www.sequoiagrove.dk

"You don´t frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottoms, sons
of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur-king, you and
all your silly English kaniggets. Thppppt!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------