All of you know of the famous “Judgement of Paris” wine tasting in 1976 which put California wines on the map worldwide, after they won both the white wine (CA chardonnay vs white burgundy) and red wine (CA cabernet vs Bordeaux) tastings Of course, many advances in wine making have occurred since that time in both regions, together with changes in wine drinkers preferences. Coupled with climate change, the result has been gradual “harmonization”, resulting in wines with a more uniform style regarding of where they are produced.
The tasting featured 4 Napa wines touting themselves as Meritage or Bordeaux-blends vs 4 right bank Bordeaux (where style and terroir dictate a predominance of merlot, typically blended with cabernet and other varietals). Although CSSF has had other California vs Bordeaux tastings, we have never done this comparison. The time is now!
The results were: Napa trounced Right Bank, 362 to 466. The Napa wines were ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, while the Right Bank wines were ranked 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th.
| Rank | Points | Wine | Ratings | Price | Btl |
| 1 | 82 | Pahlmeyer Jayson 2021 | JS‑94, WE‑93 | $65 | 8 |
| 2 | 85 | Far Niente 2021 | JS‑96, JD‑94, RP‑92 | $120 | 5 |
| 3 | 93 | AXR Proprietary Red 2021 | JS‑94, JD‑92, RP‑90 | $45 | 6 |
| 4 | 102 | Chappellet Signature 2021 | JD‑94+, JS‑94, RP‑93 | $85 | 4 |
| 5 | 106 | Ch. Fonplegade 2020 | D‑95, JD‑94, JS‑94, V‑94 | $45 | 1 |
| 6 | 113 | Ch. Canon La Gaffeliere 2020 | JD‑98, V‑97, JS‑96, RP‑95 | $85 | 3 |
| 7 | 114 | Ch Gazin (Pomerol) 2020 | JD‑96, JS‑96, D‑94, RP‑93 | $90 | 2 |
| 8 | 133 | Ch. Beau-Sejour Becot 2020 | JS‑97, D‑95, V‑97, RP‑95 | $99 | 7 |
The pre-tasting wines were:
A: Flora Springs Trilogy 2021
B: Dry Creek Meritage 2019
C: La Dominique 2020
D: Château Clos de Sarpes 2020
Individual votes:
| Rank | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| Total Points | 106 | 114 | 113 | 102 | 85 | 93 | 133 | 82 |
| Your Name | Btl 1 | Btl 2 | Btl 3 | Btl 4 | Btl 5 | Btl 6 | Btl 7 | Btl 8 |
| Karen | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| Vince | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Steve Shank | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Richard Mills | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Sue Beyer | 5 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| DeAtley | 8 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| James F | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| Suzi Mills | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Marjie | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Marie Coppola | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| John Henry | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Laura Wilson | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Bette F | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Taylor Swift | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Rick | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Steve Smith | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Lisa | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| Betty Hood-Gibsy | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| David Gandara | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| Diane K | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| Ed Coyne | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| David Gibson | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| Diane Gandara | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
Cellar Society of San Francisco 