James Barrett, 86, a vintner whose wines boosted the international reputation of the California wine industry, died Thursday, according to a statement from the Chateau Montelena Winery, which he refurbished in 1972. A cause of death was not given.
His most noted winemaking achievement was a 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that beat the French in a blind tasting called the Judgment of Paris in 1976. It was a watershed moment for California's wine industry, helping propel it into the powerhouse it is today.
