\u2026. with more and more regions now empowered to challenge established regions<\/em> and produce world-class wines<\/em>, believes the International Wine and Food Society (IWFS), host of the all-new event, The Judgement +50<\/em>.<\/h4>\nSubsequently, the results of the mega-tasting have been announced, and once again, there are surprises in store. Scroll down for the results<\/em><\/h4>\nIt was an indisputable part of the history of wine. Reams have been written on the event, and it has been discussed, dissected, and analysed to the nth degree.<\/p>\n
A recap. A blind tasting of wines in Paris in May 1976, organised by the British wine merchant Steven Spurrier, since referred to as the Judgement of Paris, pitted top French wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux against Californian upstarts.\u00a0 Shockingly, the upstarts won.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Half a century later, the International Wine and Food Society (IWFS)<\/a><\/strong>, the world\u2019s largest gastronomic organisation, is organising a retrial of the tasting, with France taking on the rest of the World in the largest mass blind tasting ever organised over five continents in one week. In 1976, the professionals decided, and this time it is the people\u2019s vote. The results will be released on the fiftieth anniversary of the original tasting on May 24th, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\nIn 1976, French wines were widely regarded as the world\u2019s most renowned. Today, in the fast-changing world of wine, the IWFS Judgement +50 tastings will once again taste French Chardonnays and Bordeaux Blends, but this time they will be pitched against a more diverse lineup from the world\u2019s top wine regions \u2013 North and South America, South Africa, and Oceania.<\/p>\n
In 1976, an elite group of nine French judges tasted Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from France and California \u2013 blind.\u00a0 From France, the Burgundies included highly regarded wines such as B\u00e2tard-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles, while the reds included Ch\u00e2teau Mouton-Rothschild and Ch\u00e2teau Haut-Brion.\u00a0 The result shocked the establishment and proved that great wine could come from anywhere.\u00a0 The Judgement of Paris did for wine what breaking the four-minute mile did for sport. The event was immortalised in the 2008 movie, Bottle Shock, starring Alan Rickman<\/a><\/strong>; the book, Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine<\/em> by George M. Taber<\/a><\/strong> (the Time journalist who attended the event), and by a blog written by Steven Spurrier himself on the website of the Acad\u00e9mie du Vin Library<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rumasingh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2pexels-rodrigo-ortega-2044210904-29160034-1-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/a>Pexels: Rodrigo Ortega<\/em>. Main image: Bella Spurrier<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe wines for this event were selected by a panel including MWs and members of its prestigious International Wines Committee.\u00a0\u00a0 The IWFS has over 5,000 members worldwide, and events are planned in branches across the UK and Europe, along with Canada, the USA, Africa, Australia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and the Philippines.\u00a0 Rather than being judged by nine experts, this time, some 1,000 wine enthusiasts across the world will deliver the new verdict. This is likely to be the largest coordinated blind tasting ever performed in terms of both participant numbers and global reach.<\/p>\n
Stephen Harrison, Chair, IWFS Europe Africa, answered some of my questions on the event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nWith the world changing so fast, and in so many ways (uncertainty over climate, geopolitics) what role does a revival or reenactment of the Judgement of Paris, 50 years ago, play? What do you see as a desirable outcome?<\/em><\/h4>\nThe goal of the event series is to celebrate the legacy of the original Judgement<\/em>, which is the diversity in wine choice now available from across the world. \u00a0Without Judgement<\/em> it\u2019s unimaginable that the surge in quality and choice that we now enjoy would have happened to the extent it has. \u00a0The legacy continues with more and more regions now empowered to challenge established regions and produce world-class wines. The desirable outcome would be for consumers to continue to experiment and try new wines \u2013 enjoying themselves along the way.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0Would you enumerate the conditions\u00a0that have changed since the original Judgement of Paris? In terms of the wine regions, most specifically?<\/em><\/h4>\nAs above, we believe that the quality and choice now available to consumers stems directly from Judgement. \u00a0Coupled with the effects of climate change, wine is being produced in areas inconceivable 50 years ago \u2013 English sparkling, for example. \u00a0\u201cNew\u201d regions such as India and Romania (which obviously has made wine for centuries) are now becoming widely known and rightly celebrated for the quality they bring.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0By broadening the canvas and having \u2018non-experts\u2019 at the table doing the judging, what differences do you envisage? And why was this decided?<\/em><\/h4>\nWe have a global membership of some 5,000+. \u00a0Within this are a profusion of MWs and other experts, but the majority are \u201centhusiastic amateurs\u201d who come together to learn and share special moments in wine and food regularly with friends. \u00a0Judgement +50<\/em> fits exactly with the sort of experience that our members enjoy. \u00a0Just as Judgement \u201cdemocratised\u201d the choice of wines available, it seemed appropriate to offer anyone with a keen palate the chance to take part in creating their own tribute to a unique historical event. \u00a0<\/p>\n
It was an indisputable part of the history of wine. Reams have been written on the event, and it has been discussed, dissected, and analysed to the nth degree.<\/p>\n
A recap. A blind tasting of wines in Paris in May 1976, organised by the British wine merchant Steven Spurrier, since referred to as the Judgement of Paris, pitted top French wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux against Californian upstarts.\u00a0 Shockingly, the upstarts won.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Half a century later, the International Wine and Food Society (IWFS)<\/a><\/strong>, the world\u2019s largest gastronomic organisation, is organising a retrial of the tasting, with France taking on the rest of the World in the largest mass blind tasting ever organised over five continents in one week. In 1976, the professionals decided, and this time it is the people\u2019s vote. The results will be released on the fiftieth anniversary of the original tasting on May 24th, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In 1976, French wines were widely regarded as the world\u2019s most renowned. Today, in the fast-changing world of wine, the IWFS Judgement +50 tastings will once again taste French Chardonnays and Bordeaux Blends, but this time they will be pitched against a more diverse lineup from the world\u2019s top wine regions \u2013 North and South America, South Africa, and Oceania.<\/p>\n In 1976, an elite group of nine French judges tasted Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from France and California \u2013 blind.\u00a0 From France, the Burgundies included highly regarded wines such as B\u00e2tard-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles, while the reds included Ch\u00e2teau Mouton-Rothschild and Ch\u00e2teau Haut-Brion.\u00a0 The result shocked the establishment and proved that great wine could come from anywhere.\u00a0 The Judgement of Paris did for wine what breaking the four-minute mile did for sport. The event was immortalised in the 2008 movie, Bottle Shock, starring Alan Rickman<\/a><\/strong>; the book, Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine<\/em> by George M. Taber<\/a><\/strong> (the Time journalist who attended the event), and by a blog written by Steven Spurrier himself on the website of the Acad\u00e9mie du Vin Library<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n The wines for this event were selected by a panel including MWs and members of its prestigious International Wines Committee.\u00a0\u00a0 The IWFS has over 5,000 members worldwide, and events are planned in branches across the UK and Europe, along with Canada, the USA, Africa, Australia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and the Philippines.\u00a0 Rather than being judged by nine experts, this time, some 1,000 wine enthusiasts across the world will deliver the new verdict. This is likely to be the largest coordinated blind tasting ever performed in terms of both participant numbers and global reach.<\/p>\n Stephen Harrison, Chair, IWFS Europe Africa, answered some of my questions on the event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The goal of the event series is to celebrate the legacy of the original Judgement<\/em>, which is the diversity in wine choice now available from across the world. \u00a0Without Judgement<\/em> it\u2019s unimaginable that the surge in quality and choice that we now enjoy would have happened to the extent it has. \u00a0The legacy continues with more and more regions now empowered to challenge established regions and produce world-class wines. The desirable outcome would be for consumers to continue to experiment and try new wines \u2013 enjoying themselves along the way.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n As above, we believe that the quality and choice now available to consumers stems directly from Judgement. \u00a0Coupled with the effects of climate change, wine is being produced in areas inconceivable 50 years ago \u2013 English sparkling, for example. \u00a0\u201cNew\u201d regions such as India and Romania (which obviously has made wine for centuries) are now becoming widely known and rightly celebrated for the quality they bring.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n We have a global membership of some 5,000+. \u00a0Within this are a profusion of MWs and other experts, but the majority are \u201centhusiastic amateurs\u201d who come together to learn and share special moments in wine and food regularly with friends. \u00a0Judgement +50<\/em> fits exactly with the sort of experience that our members enjoy. \u00a0Just as Judgement \u201cdemocratised\u201d the choice of wines available, it seemed appropriate to offer anyone with a keen palate the chance to take part in creating their own tribute to a unique historical event. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a>With the world changing so fast, and in so many ways (uncertainty over climate, geopolitics) what role does a revival or reenactment of the Judgement of Paris, 50 years ago, play? What do you see as a desirable outcome?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\u00a0Would you enumerate the conditions\u00a0that have changed since the original Judgement of Paris? In terms of the wine regions, most specifically?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\u00a0By broadening the canvas and having \u2018non-experts\u2019 at the table doing the judging, what differences do you envisage? And why was this decided?<\/em><\/h4>\n
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