Bottle Shock

For centuries, France believed they made the finest wines in the world. In 1976, a blind tasting of French and Californian wines was held with French judges ruling the unthinkable: the U.S. wines were the best. The decision sent shock waves through the industry and changed the way the world drank wine forever.

n 1976, British wine merchant, Steven Spurrier, hoped to revive his flagging Parisian wine business by devising a competition which the French believed was really no contest. So he set off for the Napa Valley in California and met Jim Barrett, a novice viticulturist who was struggling to keep his vineyard afloat. Suspicious about Spurrier's motives, Barrett was reluctant to participate - until collectively - the winemakers of the Napa Valley decided to put their wine where their mouths were. With dozens of bottles in hand, Spurrier headed back to France for a showdown of classic proportions. This is the true story of what unfolded: a vintage moment in history best enjoyed with either a glass of full-bodied, delectable red or a cheeky, fruity little blanc.