[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 178 (Friday, October 8, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING PATRICIA GASTAUD-GALLAGHER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2021

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher for her monumental contributions to the 
California wine community.
  Born on April 25, 1945 in Wilmington, Delaware, Patricia Gastaud-
Gallagher received her bachelor's degree in Government from Connecticut 
College for Women in 1967. Two years after receiving her first degree, 
she became a freelance journalist and editor for the International 
Herald Tribune. It was during this time that Ms. Gastaud-Gallagher 
discovered her niche for wine and became the first Director of Academie 
du Vin in Paris, France, from 1973 until 1989. Academie du Vin, founded 
by Steven Spurrier in 1973, is France's first private wine school 
dedicated to teaching wine appreciation. With the desire to further her 
wine education, Ms. Gastaud-Gallagher received a degree as an Oenology 
Technician with honors from the Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon, 
France in 1988.
  As a result of Ms. Gastaud-Gallagher's love for wine and her 
determination to showcase California wine, she helped organize the 
famous May 24, 1976 Judgement of Paris blind wine tasting along with 
Steven Spurrier. This event attracted international attention to the 
astounding quality of Napa Valley wines, which had outperformed 
France's top wines in tasting. Ms. Gastaud-Gallagher continued to 
influence the world of wine through her various roles as a writer and 
academic. She first became a columnist for two wine publications, 
l'Amateur de Bordeaux and Cuisine & Vins de France from 1985 until 
1991. Shortly after these positions, she became Editorial Director for 
the International Who's Who in Wines & Spirits. As a result of her 
contributions in the French wine industry, Ms. Gastaud-Gallagher became 
one the few non-French natives to receive the Chevalier du Merite 
Agricole in 1993. Two years later, she became the Academic Director and 
Director of the Wine Department at Le Cordon Bleu, a school in Paris 
dedicated to providing world-class culinary and hospitality 
instruction.
  Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher has 
made a lasting impact on the Napa Valley wine community and 
California's standing in the world of wine. Therefore, it is fitting 
and proper that we honor her here today.

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