Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine
by George M Taber
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Book Summary Information
Author: George M TaberEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-11-21
ISBN: 0743297326
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Scribner
Book Reviews of Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine
Book Review: A Facinating Bit of Wine History
Summary: 4 Stars
Taber does a very good job telling the story of the famous 1976 wine tasting that included both top American and French wines. What he does especially well is provide context about the event and the history leading up to it. The book presents an overview the history of wine in both France and California, and including some of the individual stories of the California winemakers which is key to understanding the significance of the results of the tasting and makes the story more personal. Taber also demystifies the event which has been over analyzed and told in a charming but highly inaccurate movie, Bottle Shock. The tasting took place over two hours and was witnessed by only one reporter - Taber. Some reviewers of the book complain that there is too little written about the tasting event. The reason for that is pretty simple. Some experts convened, tasted, voted, and left. It was all over in a rush and there wasn't much to report about the activities of that short period.
What Taber does particularly well is explain that the tasting was not intended as an "us versus them" contest, but as one wine merchant's means of helping market US wines in France by having French wine experts recognize the quality of California wines. It was the reaction of the public afterward that gave the tasting its unintended significance.
The real message of the book is that the sharing of information and collaboration of winemakers around the world, modeled after the experience of the Californians, has helped widen the production of good wine globally. Countries such as South Africa, Australia, and Chile have quickly become major producers of very drinkable wine. While some bemoan the globalization (some call it Parkerization) of wine, Taber points out that there are still new producers such as those in Portugal who are creating great new wines using unusual local varietals. While some of the bad domestic wines will be replaced by those of major producers such as Australia's Yellow Tail, that may not always be a bad thing.
The reason for rating the book 4 stars instead of 5 is that some of the writing is choppy and repetitive (how many times do we need to be told about the wine making process and the importance of malolactic fermentation?). Don't let this discourage you. Most of the book is well written, and the stories of some of the individual winemakers are fascinating.
I think I'll go have a glass of wine now and relax.
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