Politics by the Bottle

From Diplomacy to Globalization, wine and politics are more intertwined than you may think.

The Judgement of Paris

To commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of the U.S Independence, in 1976, a British wine-seller organised a wine tasting between French and American wines. The test would compare White Bourgogne and Red Bordeaux to Californian Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. The wines would be blind-tasted by Michelin-starred chefs, the Secretary General of the Grands Crus Classes and several famed critics.

This was quite odd, as back in 1976 Californian wines were rather unknown in Europe. It was almost a joke for French winemakers and critics to be asked to compare French and American wines. When asked how Californian wines were viewed at that time, Steven Spurrier, the organizer of the competition responded, “California wine was not viewed. California wine did not exist”.

The competition carried through. As a Time journalist wrote:

As they swirled, sniffed, sipped and spat, some judges were instantly able to separate an imported upstart from an aristocrat. More often, the panel was confused. “Ah, back to France!” exclaimed [one judge] after sipping a 1972 Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. “That is definitely California…