A storm is brewing in the wine world, as the owners of a top Californian estate chose to criticise their Burgundy counterparts.

Marcassin owners Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer presented their 2006 wines to renowned wine critic Robert Parker, along with a Chevalier Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive and La Tache from Domaine de la Romanee Conti, both from the same year.

According to the Drinks Business, Parker was critical of the Burgundies and highly complimentary about the Californian produce.

This prompted Turley and Wetlaufer to use their newsletter to criticise the canopy management employed in Burgundy, with a nod to supposed "underipeness'.

The comments have sparked a war of words between Burgundy fans and New World enthusiasts on internet forums.

Robert Parker recently passed on the responsibility for Wine Advocate reviews of Californian wines to Antonio Galloni, choosing instead to focus on Bordeaux vintages and wine from the Rhone Valley.