Napa Valley iconic winemaker Warren Winiarski died a week ago at age 95. He was one of two local winemakers who silenced and shocked France’s finest wine critics into conceding the winemaking superiority or at least equality of California winemakers when Winiarski’s $6 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 from his new winery Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars came out smelling roses, beating the internationally well-established Bordeaux wines like Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut Brion in the red wine category at the famous Judgment of Paris Tasting hosted by the Late Steven Spurrier, catapulting Napa Valley onto the world stage as a premier winemaking region of the US and in fact the whole world.

It appears that the stage is set for yet another bout of the Judgement at Paris 1976 type of competition soon. Sonoma County winemaker Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars with an Instagram following of nearly 40,000 subscribers announced last month that he and Pax Cellars, his winemaker friend from Sebastopol, Sonoma County plan a “Judgement of Paris” tasting.

The 1976 Redo

Instead of comparing only Napa Valley wines, the best of Sonoma County will be added to face the best of France. Seemingly over-ambitious they hope to blind-taste wines from all across California and the rest of America, thus exposing some new underdogs from different U.S. winemaking regions during the 48th year of the legendary tasting.

Also Read : Steven Spurrier: World Loses a Gem in the Wine Necklace

Apparently, the recent passing away of Winiarski will be a big motivation and inspiration for the producers of two of the most popular regions of California to come forward. Incidentally, Mike Grgich, the Croatian-American celebrity winemaker who was behind the white Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena winning the top award from French critics against white Burgundy wines, died last December after completing 100 years.

Also Read : Raj Parr-Super Sommelier and Winemaker Extraordinaire

Judging for The Redo will take place in stages, with a West Coast panel assessing the American wines and an East Coast panel judging the French wines. West Coast judges include the Indo- American winemaker Rajat Parr. The East Coast panel is still under finalization. Tasted blind in each round, the American wines will be reduced to 30 semifinalists, with five selected to compete with the best French wines. The five finalists from each country will be blindly assessed by a new panel of judges, with no knowledge of the wines’ country of origin. It’s not clear if there will be French or international judges for the task also.

There will be four categories to be tasted this time-Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and additionally Syrah, and Chenin Blanc; only 2020-23 vintages will be tasted.

Also Read : Authentic Judgement of Paris to be Produced

May the Souls of Warren Winiarski and Mike Grgich resting in Peace take time off and bless the competition they would be watching from the skies when the war of ego begins between the US and the French! Entries are acceptable till June 21. For more details visit www.the76redo.com/

Subhash Arora