California wins the re-enactment of 1976 -- by a nose

By L. PIERCE CARSON, Register Staff Writer

For New World winemakers, it was more than a shot in the arm.

Comparative tastings in 1976 of French and California chardonnays and cabernet sauvignons by respected French palates had resulted in New World wine earning considerable respect.

Actually, two Napa Valley wines -- 1973 Chateau Montelena chardonnay and 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars cabernet sauvignon -- were picked as best of the lot.

On the 30th anniversary of that landmark event, the so-called Judgment of Paris was re-enacted in part at the same time Wednesday in London and Napa, at Copia.

Once again, the New World -- or, to be more specific, Napa Valley -- came out on top.

Far from mirroring the bicentennial tasting organized in Paris by wine merchant Steven Spurrier, this time around only a half dozen California cabernets and four Bordeaux blends were tasted by official panels eight time zones apart. Not as ageworthy, the chardonnays were not included.

The competitive aspect was absent as well, as producers from both camps reportedly balked at putting recent vintages side-by-side for a 21st century taste-off.

Attended by a wealth of media from near and far, the 30th anniversary re-enactment was instead "a celebration of wine and the people who make it," said Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher, who helped organize the original tasting in Paris and served as chair of Wednesday's judges panel at Copia.

"It really felt like a celebration today," agreed Peter Marks, Copia's director of wines and a panelist for the tasting. "It's well known that French wines have stood the test of time for centuries, and it's wonderful to confirm that California wines have the ability to age gracefully as well."

"I don't think anyone in '76 would have said these wines would be alive 30 years later," declared syndicated wine columnist Dan Berger, also a Copia panelist. "All of the (10) wines tasted well ... (and) exhibited balance and character."

"This is a celebration (to demonstrate) the wines have lived," added Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Warren Winiarski, whose '73 cabernet was chosen best red wine in Paris three decades ago. "If my wine doesn't show as well 30 years later, so what?"

The outcome

Well, Winiarski didn't have to worry because his cherry-ripe cabernet, with an extra long silky finish typical of the Stag's Leap District, was once again near the top of the list -- this time around coming in second behind the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello, which was just beginning to show its age.

"The Ridge Monte Bello was the wine Steven (Spurrier) thought would come in first 30 years ago," Gallagher advised a large gathering of participants, media, vintners and friends of wine who'd gathered for an alfresco lunch and to await tabulations.

A telephone hookup to the re-enactment tasting site in London allowed for staffers to compare rankings of both judging panels. There were minor differences in the rankings in Napa and London. When both panels were combined, the final tally shows:

1. Ridge Monte Bello 1971

2. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973

3. (tie) Heitz Martha's Vineyard 1970

Mayacamas 1971

5. Clos du Val 1972

6. Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1970

7. Chateau Montrose 1970

8. Chateau Haut-Brion 1970

9. Chateau Loville-Las-Cases 1971

10. Freemark Abbey, 1969

The only member of the media attending the 1976 Paris tasting was George Taber, a writer for Time Magazine. In his June 7, 1976, account of the event -- wherein he declared "California defeated all Gaul" -- Taber noted that following the Stag's Leap cabernet, in order, were Mouton-Rothschild '70, Haut-Brion '70 and Montrose '70. Taber has written a book about the historic Paris tasting and was present at Copia Wednesday.

"The Paris tasting showed that great wine can be made in every country ... not only in California but in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, among others. It led us to the world globalization (of wine). Today is the golden age of wine. Never has so much great wine been made in the world."

"(The Paris tasting) gave those in the Napa Valley permission to dream," added Jean-Michel Valette, president of Robert Mondavi Winery. He noted the separate tasting of recent vintages from California and France -- in which the wines were not lumped together for comparison -- was done appropriately, allowing all to see that wines from different terroirs are "distinct. That's something to be celebrated."

With a hearty laugh, Christian Vanneque -- a member of the original tasting panel when he was a 25-year-old sommelier at Paris renowned La Tour d'Argent restaurant -- said he'd come to the tasting "today expecting the downfall of California.

"In 1976, they said California wines won because they were too open for their age, that they wouldn't age. But that was wrong. California wines stood the test of time. This revealed California wines do age well."

"Who wins and who loses doesn't matter," declared Clos Du Val co-founder Bernard Portet. "The important thing is to participate."

Margrit Mondavi said even before the Paris tasting vintner Robert Mondavi had maintained Napa Valley wines belonged in the company of the world's best wines. "The '76 tasting became his template," she noted.

She was visiting French producers organized by the late Andre Tchelistcheff -- dean of California winemakers -- when the results of the Paris tasting were announced, she said. "That's where Jim Barrett (founder of Chateau Montelena) was when he got the word. It was a great moment for California winemakers, but none of us boasted. I think the full impact of that tasting hit us much later."

No doubt that Paul Roberts -- master sommelier and wine director for the French Laundry, Bouchon and Per Se restaurants -- aptly summed up the tasting of the '70s wines. "I'd say 75 percent of them have held up well, the rest have seen better days."

But Roberts felt the affair was valuable in that it indeed showed how well certain wines do age, in that all had come directly to Copia and London from the cellars of the producers.

Ranking the new wines

Combining the scores of the official panelists in both Napa and London, here are the rankings for top three (in order with suggested retail price) in the group of 21st century wines:

White Burgundy -- Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Pucelles 2002, Domaine Leflaive ($160); Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches 2002, Domaine Drouhin ($70); Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Caillerets 2002, Louis Jadot ($65).

Chardonnay -- Talley Rosemary's Vineyard 2002 ($45); Ramey Hyde Vineyard 2002 ($56); Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard 2004 ($50).

Red Bordeaux -- Chateau Margaux 2000 ($600); Chateau Rauzan Segla 2000 ($95); Chateau Montrose 2000 ($150).

Cabernet Sauvignon -- Ridge Monte Bello 2000 ($120); Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 2001 ($160); Staglin Family Vineyard 2001 ($170).

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