It’s a Family Affair: 40 Years of the Wine Experience

A history of Wine Spectator’s annual tasting event and a gallery of memories

Aerial view of a Château Margaux seminar with owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos at the 2017 Wine Experience moderated by senior editor James Molesworth.
Château Margaux owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos presents six wines, back to the 1986, for a full-house of wine lovers in a 2017 seminar moderated by senior editor James Molesworth. (Shannon Sturgis)

2021 marks the 40th iteration of Wine Spectator's annual tasting event, founded in 1981. The magazine’s commemorative coverage includes a history of the world’s preeminent fine-wine gathering, which raises funds for the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, a gallery of photo highlights from tastings and seminars over the years, and memories of the event from leaders in wine and food from around the world.

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