▻ The Story of the Judgement of Paris – Part III
Hosted by Sarah Kemp and John Stimpfig
Episode Summary:-
In the third episode of our series on The Story of the Judgement of Paris, we find out what happened at the tasting held by Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher on May 24th 1976, and discover the reaction to it from the French.
In a never-heard-before interview, Steven Spurrier talks about the tasting, and what he was trying to achieve: recognition for the wines of California. Patricia Gallagher, whose idea it was, reminisces about the day and points out that she and Steven had no idea of the impact the tasting was going to make. “We walked back to the office, very pleased with ourselves. Everyone seemed to have had a good time and we thought that the California wines had shown well, which was nice. That was really the purpose. It was a Bicentennial showing the wines, the California wines in their best light. And everyone seemed quite pleased.”
Patricia explains that nobody except Odette Khan, the editor of La Revue du Vin de France, had any idea of the implications. When George Taber of Time magazine, who was the only journalist present, wrote up the tasting a fortnight later, the French trade were deeply unhappy, and both the French tasters, and Steven, were given a very hard time.
Bella Spurrier, Steven’s wife, was there to take photos; she describes how Steven soon realized he’d opened what for some people was a can of worms. “Steven was persona non grata in a lot of French vineyards,” she adds.
While the French were unhappy, the Californians were delighted. Bo Barrett, of Chateau Montelena, remembers his father sending a telegram, which is now pinned up in their tasting room, and Mike Grigich, the winemaker, doing a Croatian victory dance.
Back in France in 1977, Hervé Berland arrived at Château Mouton Rothschild, whose 1970 vintage had come second in the tasting of the red wines, “The trade was not pleased by what happened, but the consumers (French) actually couldn’t care less… In the States, it was exactly the opposite.” Baron Philippe de Rothschild took it in his stride, and Hervé suggests it was no coincidence that in 1979 he entered a joint venture with Robert Mondavi to create Opus One.
““Steven was persona non grata in a lot of French vineyards.” – Bella Spurrier”
Hear what happened on the day of the tasting from two of the people who were actually there.