If you have no knowledge of the "Judgement of Paris" go see "Bottle Shock" when it is released, it should be out any time now. A brief rundown follows (of actual events, not the movie). 

In 1976, a 10 person panel was convened in Paris to taste the 5 great French White Burgundy's and Red Bordeaux against the best 5 California could offer up in both categories. California was not supposed to stand a chance, and rightfully so. Napa had been turning out wine for only about 10 years at that point, where as Chateau Mouton-Rothschilde (one of the Bordeaux entrants) has been making wine since Napoleon ruled the European continent. Here are the results:

Cab: #1 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, #2 Chat. Mouton, #3 Chat. Montrose, #4 Chat. Haut Brion, #5 Ridge Monte Bello.

Chardonnay: #1 Montelena (Grgich fruit), #2 Domaine Roulot, #3 Chalone, #4 Spring Mtn Vineyards, #5 Domaine Drouhin

Every Frenchman screamed foul. 8 of the 10 judges were French, one Englishman and one American. They then said that the French wines would age better and the contest was not indicative of the actual quality because the wines were young. The French Culinary Inst. repeated the test in 1986:

#1 Clos du Val Winery, #2 Ridge Monte Bello

Wine Spectator repeated the test in 1986 as well:

#1-#5 all California wineries

Steven Spurrier (the original organizer and judge) repeated the test in 2006:

#1-#5 all California wineries

Fun stuff!

My actual point to all of this however is bittersweet. Chateau Montelena was sold in July to Michel Reybier the owner of Chateau Cos D'Estournel, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is currently being shopped for sale, with most of the suiters being foreign wine companies. All the great family owned and run wineries from the 1970's, which was the birth of the great California wine tradition, are dealing with legacy issues and whether or not to sell or try to keep in the family, and so far most are electing for sale. Sad.