Old World vs New World Wine
Contributor: Tersina Shieh
People talk about wine from the Old World and New World all the time. What exactly is the difference? The Old World refers to wine made in countries with long winemaking history, which are basically European countries such as Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Germany. The New World, in contrast, are countries outside of Europe where vine growing and winemaking skills were brought in by European settlers, such as the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Chile.
All grape varieties originated from the Old World, which then spread to other regions. A few of them become international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, as they can be found growing in almost every wine region in the world. Depending on the climate and soil, a majority of the wine from the New World are made from 10 to 15 different grape varieties. The Old World, on the other hand, offers a myriad world of grape varieties. In Portugal alone, there are over 300 native varieties. In Italy, there are over 1,000 documented varieties and a lot more yet to be recorded. Some of these varieties are only grown in tiny regions. This is one of the reasons why consumers are confused with the Old World wine — too many unheard of and hard-to-pronounce varieties.
There are also stylistic differences. General speaking, the New World countries have more sunshine hours, allowing the grapes to ripen fully resulting in fuller-bodied wine and higher alcohol. On the other hand, most wine regions in the Old World are in more moderate and even cool climatic zones, hence the wine is usually lighter with lower alcohol. In addition, the New World relies on modern technology to maximize fruit extraction, often supported by generous oak. Wine that is made this way is flashier and more forward. The Old World, on the other hand, has more regulations in terms of winemaking and tends to adhere to tradition, resulting in wine that is subtle. So next time when you taste a full-bodied wine with a lot of fruits with supple tannins, it is likely that the wine is from the New World. If the wine is more restrained, but with added complexity of herbs and earth, chances are that the wine is from the Old World.
Nonetheless, the differences of wine produced by the two worlds are not that black and white anymore. Winemakers from both worlds learn from each other and there is no shortage of old-world-style New World wine or new-world-style Old World wine.
There is one country I would like to mention: South Africa – which is in between the Old and New World. It has more than 350 years of winemaking history, making it the oldest of the New World and most winemakers still adhere to the traditional winemaking practices. With more sunshine than most of the Old World countries, South African wine displays more ripe fruits, but tends to be earthier and drier, more akin to the Old World style rather than the overtly ripe fruit character of the New World. You can read more about South African wine in our article South African Wine 101.
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A marketer turned winemaker, Tersina's mission is to promote a stronger wine culture in Hong Kong and China, explaining wine in a no-nonsense way.
This post was created by a Jubee contributor. Views represented are not affiliated with Jubee.