Destination: Château Montelena, Napa Valley, United States

Château Montelena

The Napa Valley
by Ronan Sayburn MS
Part 2

This week, our Head of Wine, Ronan Sayburn MS, is travelling in the Napa Valley. We are delighted to share with you his exciting trip, discoveries and tasting notes.

Judgement of Paris

Established in 1882, Château Montelena is one of Napa valleys oldest wineries and became one of the most famous following the result of the famous, or infamous if you are French, Judgement of Paris.

In 1976 British wine merchant (and 67 PM member) Steven Spurrier had a wine shop in Paris where his French customers did not reciprocate his appreciation of the newly emerging Californian wines from Napa Valley. Out of frustration, he organised a blind tasting of 10 of the best white Burgundies and First Growth Bordeaux against 10 Napa Valley wines.

The all-French tasting panel confidently scored the wines expecting France to win outright but were shocked when the top white and red were both from Napa!

And the winner is…

The winning red was 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet, and top white was 1973 Château Montelena Chardonnay.

The whole event may well have been swept under the carpet if it were not for Time magazine journalist George Taber who attended the tasting too.

Quite rightly there is now a road named after Steven in Napa Valley.

Follow Ronan’s expedition and tasting in the Napa Valley. More in the days to come!

More Information

Judgement of Paris
Chateau Montelena
Stags Leap Winery
Contact us
Contact the Reservations team:
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tel: +44 (0)20 3794 2497