I had the distcint honor to know Melvin Masters; responsible for some iconic imported brands of wine that you would see everywhere. Unfortunately, we lost him a year or two ago and I has saddened me ever since. 

As a friend, he would reach out to his A-list of friends to encourage them to come on the podcast. Literally, just weeks before Steven Spurrier, yes, the one and the same of the famed Steven Spurrier, came on the show. I was humbled and honored.

Stephen Spurrier was never one to swirl around the status quo—he preferred to shake the bottle and see what poured out. In this captivating episode of Wine Talks, you will gain a front-row seat to the origins and aftermath of the iconic 1976 Judgment of Paris, as told by the man who orchestrated it all. Spurrier, ever the adventurer, recounts his youthful, risk-taking days in France with a mischievous twinkle, transforming a Parisian wine shop into an international hub and launching L’Academie du Vin, all before single-handedly upending the world’s assumptions about French supremacy in wine. Listeners will peel back the layers on his unlikely journey: from London’s wine trade to the sun-drenched vineyards of Provence, onto the gilded streets of Paris—where, armed with little more than entrepreneurial zest and a deep love for French culture, he made his mark. You will eavesdrop on the serendipitous conversations, chance encounters, and contrarian choices that led to the famous blind tasting; witness the cultural tremors it sent through both California and France; and learn the lasting impact it had, not just on wine markets, but on how the world approaches tasting and educating itself about wine. Along the way, Spurrier’s stories will reveal why he believed communication, trust, and story are the true soul of a great bottle, why the legacy of the Judgment of Paris is less about winners or losers and more about opening doors for unknown regions everywhere, and what he thinks about today’s wine trends, from natural wines to screw caps and beyond. Prepare to uncork more than just the tale of a contest—you’ll understand what it takes to change an industry and kindle a global love affair with wine, one bold decision at a time.

 

✅ Ever wondered how a single tasting changed the world of wine forever? ✅ Hear the inside story of the legendary 1976 Judgment of Paris—the day California wines stunned the French—told by the man who organized it himself. ✅ On this can't-miss episode of Wine Talks, host Paul K sits down with Stephen Spurrier for a revealing dive into wine history, risk-taking, and what really matters in your glass. ✅ Don’t miss the episode that uncorks the secrets behind modern wine, why storytelling trumps scoring, and how your next bottle could make history. Listen now and become part of the conversation! 🍷