French vs NZ – the results of a blind wine tasting might surprise you
by Max Allen · Australian Financial ReviewMax AllenDrinks columnist
Oct 9, 2026 – 5.00am
Fifty years ago, in Paris, a young British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier arranged a blind tasting of top Californian chardonnay and cabernet alongside benchmark examples of the same grapes from Burgundy and Bordeaux. He then invited a panel of French experts to assess and score the wines. In what became known as The Judgement of Paris, the Californian wines came out on top in both categories, causing a kerfuffle in France, and helping to change the old-world’s perception of how good new-world wine could be.
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Max AllenDrinks columnistMax Allen is The Australian Financial Review's drinks columnist. He is an award-winning journalist and author who has written about wine and drinks for close to 25 years. Connect with Max on Twitter. Email Max at max@maxallen.com.au
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