Probably not useful information for you, but one of the reasons California wine became a thing was a blind taste test in 1976. California wines were pitted against French wines in Paris. The California wines won. Known as The Judgement of Paris, organized by a British dude for the US bicentennial.
Noice intristin peece ov jinrul nolij, fanx!
The movie Bottleshock is about the Judgement of Paris. Great fun, and stars the incomparable Alan Rickman. One of the few movies I'll rewatch. www.imdb.com/title/tt0914...
1h 50m | PG-13
You could make the case that Europeans needed to step up their game since new world wines really were making superior stuff at the mass market and medium end of things. But I think the blind test showed they were up there with Europe at the higher end too! I kinda miss my wine importing days now. :D
Australian wines became important when we invented a cardboard box to carry home the plastic bag you're gonna peg to the rotary washing line and fill your mouth from when the spinning arm stops in front of you 4 litres for $8 and a label that says Enjoy With Friends The traditional Wheel of Goon
See Bottle Shock, 2008, starring Alan Rickman.
So it was rigged?