As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are temporarily closed. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on our website and social media.

1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay

1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay

<< >>
Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description
This bottle of 1973 Chardonnay was made by Miljenko "Mike" Grgich, winemaker at Chateau Montelena Winery in Calistoga, California. This vintage outranked some of France's best white Burgundies at a blind tasting held in Paris in 1976.
Organized by Steven Spurrier, an English wine merchant, the tasting involved a panel of nine experienced French judges. They compared a select group of wines from France and California without benefit of knowing which was which. The judges were taken aback when they realized they had awarded first prize to an American Chardonnay in the white category. When they also scored a California red (1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon) higher than any of the French contenders in the same competition, the rest of the wine world took notice.
The "Judgment of Paris" had a huge impact on the California and U.S. wine industry. It crushed the widely-held belief that only the French could make premium wine and inspired American vintners to expand their operations. The aftermath of the tasting played out most vigorously in California, where, between 1975 and 2004, the number of wineries grew from 330 to 1,689. By 2004, California accounted for most of the $643 million in annual U.S. wine exports.
Object Name
bottle of wine
Date made
1973
referenced
Spurrier, Steven
owner
Barrett, James L.
referenced
Chateau Montelena Winery
maker
Grgich, Mike
Place Made
United States: California, Napa
referenced
United States: California
United States: California, Calistoga
Physical Description
glass (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 12 in x 3 in; 30.48 cm x 7.62 cm
ID Number
1996.0028.01
accession number
1996.0028
catalog number
1996.0028.01
Credit Line
Gift of James Barrett, owner of Chateau Montelena Winery
subject
Wine
See more items in
Work and Industry: Food Technology
National Treasures exhibit
Food
Exhibition
Food: Transforming the American Table
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Comments

"I was at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Paris Tasting at Grgich Hills. George Taber, Mike Grgich and Austin Hills were there. Fabulous!"

Mark J. Grgurich

Fri, 2016-11-18 01:23

Truly remarkable piece of American history.

Susanh Wagner

Thu, 2016-02-11 19:58

Note: Comment submission on our collection pages is temporarily unavailable. Please check back soon!

If you have a question or require a personal response, please visit our FAQ or contact page.