California wines have defeated their revered French counterparts. Again.
Thirty years after the so-called "Judgment of Paris" sent shockwaves through the wine industry, a panel of winetasters determined Thursday, that American wines had defeated their French competitors and had aged better than their French competitors.
The same ten wines that competed in 1976 were sampled and ranked by the panel in blind taste tests in California and London, and this time the American wines took the top five positions.
The Judgment of Paris, which determined California wines to be the best, was seen by many as a blow to France's national pride.
At the time, French winemakers downplayed the result, saying the New World wines would not age as well as Bordeaux wines.
One panelist, who judged both competitions, joked that he might not be able to return home, saying his fellow Frenchmen may kill him.
