California Triumphs in Wine World Cup

30 years to the day after California wines won a shock victory over French at the historic Judgement of Paris Tasting, California has done it again at a re-run of the blind tasting event in the Cellars of Berry Bros. & Rudd in London.

Eighteen of the world's top wine tasters swirled, sniffed, sipped then spat their way through the original cast-list of the finest red wines from the regions to award top marks to a California red - the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello. In second place, some considerable distance behind was another Californian - 1973 Stags' Leap.

Third spot was jointed awarded to two Californian reds, the 1971 Mayacamas and the 1970 Heitz while top place for a French red came down in sixth place with the 1970 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. The three-hour long blind tasting happened in the UK at Berry Bros. & Rudd while a simultaneous event took place in the Napa Valley, California.

At the original Judgement of Paris Tasting on May 24th 1976, shock waves were sent through the wine world when nine French wine tasters ruled that California wines were better than the best from their own country in a blind tasting. Until that point, American wines have been considered inferior and the results changed the wine world forever. The decision revolutionised the wine industry.

Berry Bros. & Rudd's Buying Director, Jasper Morris MW, a judge at yesterday's event said: ";The wine world has been waiting to see if the results of 30 years ago would be repeated or turned on their head. We're thrilled for Ridge Monte Bello which we've always recognised as a world-class winning wine.";

Wine writer, Steven Spurrier who staged the original tasting and hosted yeterday's event said: ";I can still remember the shock that was felt by the French tasters at the original blind tasting event in 1976 when they placed both a white and a red Californian wine above the best from their own country. It changed people's perceptions of New World wine forever. This result has come as a complete surprise to me and congratulations must go to California for coming out on top again with a truly first class red.";

The tasting included all of the original red wines tasted in 1976 along with two new flights of select French and Californian wines - representing the best of wine that has emerged from these two legendary wine producing regions over the last 30 years. The tasting took place neutrally in Europe in the Cellars below the famous Berry Bros. & Rudd wine shop in St. James's Street, London from 5.30pm to 8.30pm - and simultaneously in America at COPIA (the American centre for wine, food and the arts) in the Napa Valley, California.

Full results:

1^st: Ridge Monte Bello 1971, California, USA (points 61)

2^nd:  Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1973, California, USA (points 79)

Joint 3^rd:  Heitz 1970 , California, USA (points 86) / Mayacamas 1971 California, USA (points 86)

5^th:  Clos du Val1972 , California, USA (points 92)

6^th:  Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1970, Bordeaux, France (points 93)

7^th: Chateau Montrose 1970,Bordeaux, France (points 106)

8^th: Chateau Haut-Brion 1970, Bordeaux, France (points 116)

9^th: Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases 1971,Bordeaux, France (points 132)

10^th: Freemark Abbey, California, USA 1969 (points 139)