PARIS, (July 2026) — Fifty years after the historic Judgment of Paris transformed the world’s perception of New World wine, Old World, New Roots brought Virginia and French wines together at Le Cordon Bleu Paris for an international blind tasting celebrating the remarkable evolution of Virginia wine while honoring the enduring traditions of French viticulture. The tasting was also the cap-stone event that concluded the Art, Science and Wine Management Diploma academic program.
Using the American Wine Society’s 20-point judging matrix, the judges awarded Virginia wines the two highest scores in the Chardonnay flight, all three top Petit Manseng scores, the highest-scoring Cabernet Franc, and the top three Bordeaux-style red blends.
Jury Chair Xavier Thuizat, Best Sommelier of France and Meilleur Ouvrier de France, praised Barboursville Vineyards’ 2021 Octagon, saying:
“Superb! One of the best I have ever tasted. Everything is perfectly balanced!”
Octagon was the only entry in the tasting to receive a perfect score and it was awarded by Xavier Thuizat.
Co-organized by Thomas McCune, a student in Le Cordon Bleu Paris’s Diploma in Art, Science and Wine Management program, and Frank Morgan, a writer and Director of Judging for the Virginia Governor’s Cup, the tasting brought together nine American and French wine professionals and Le Cordon Bleu Paris students to evaluate a total of twenty-four wines. The wines were divided into four flights of three French and three Virginia in each category: Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, and Bordeaux-style Merlot blends. All wines were tasted and evaluated blind using the American Wine Society’s 20-Point Wine Evaluation System.
Inspired by the 50th anniversary of the historic Judgment of Paris, the event was never intended to recreate that landmark tasting. Rather, Old World, New Roots celebrated the extraordinary progress of Virginia wine over the past five decades while creating a meaningful dialogue between two great wine cultures.
McCune curated the French wines featured in the tasting. He was guided by his professor Maxime Caderon. Many of the wines had been introduced during his program as benchmark examples of their respective French wine regions. He intentionally selected independent producers whose vineyard holdings and production more closely mirrored those of the participating Virginia wineries, creating a thoughtful comparison among producers of similar scale.
“Old World, New Roots was never intended to recreate the Judgment of Paris,” said Frank Morgan. “Its purpose was to celebrate how far Virginia wine has come and to demonstrate that it belongs in the international conversation alongside some of the world’s most respected wine regions. Holding that conversation at the historic Le Cordon Bleu in Paris made it especially meaningful.”
McCune added, “France remains the world’s greatest classroom for wine. Bringing Virginia and French wines together in a blind tasting created an opportunity to celebrate craftsmanship, curiosity, and the enduring friendship between our two wine cultures.”
The judges’ observations reflected both the quality of the wines and the significance of bringing Virginia and French wines together in Paris.
Tanisha Townsend, an American-born wine educator based in Paris and founder of the wine education and lifestyle agency Girl Meets Glass, reflected on the broader significance of the tasting:
“When the Judgment of Paris happened 50 years ago, California was really the only American wine region in the conversation. Fast forward to today, and Virginia wines are standing shoulder to shoulder with some of France’s top regions. I’d call that progress, and I’m grateful to have been part of Old World, New Roots.”
Paris-based winemaker Antoine Sfier described Michael Shaps Wineworks’ 2023 Honah Lee Vineyard Petit Manseng as:
“Very complex. This is a serious Petit Manseng!”
Morgan Ipaktchian, a student in Le Cordon Bleu Paris’s Diploma in Art, Science and Wine Management program, praised Valley Road Vineyards’ 2023 Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc, noting:
“Great depth of pigment and on the mouth, direct and clean.”
The inaugural Old World, New Roots tasting demonstrated the remarkable evolution of Virginia wine while reaffirming the value of blind tasting as a means of fostering education, collaboration, and dialogue. Rather than recreating history, the event celebrated how two great wine cultures can learn from one another through thoughtful comparison, shared craftsmanship, and mutual respect for place.
