New World has own style

In my recent wine appreciation class, we explored some of the differences between Old World styles of various red and white wines and their New World counterparts. This is a topic that has received considerable attention and discussion from reviewers and wine writers in many of the wine magazines, but it may remain a mystery to the average consumer. Just what do we mean by Old World versus New World wines? Is it a matter of price, prestige, style, character or simply location that creates this intriguing question?

Old World wines are associated with the European wine-producing countries that have a long history of winemaking dating back for centuries. These countries include France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece and some of the Balkan regions. Although each has a wide variety of indigenous grape varieties, the major grape varietals associated with high quality, marketable wines come from the vitis vinifera varietals such as the chardonnay, the cabernet sauvignon, merlot and riesling. The New World producing regions are generally associated with the warmer climates found in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and, of course, the United States. These warmer climates can lead to longer hang-times for the grapes in the vineyard, which usually means higher sugar levels and subsequent higher alcohol levels in the finished wines together with enhanced fruit flavors and complexity.

Many wine lovers would probably agree that the major difference between the Old World and New World wines can be found in the style of the wine. Old World wines are said to reflect more of the grape varietal and the individual vineyard than on winemaking and technology. Old World wines may speak of a place or reflect on what many Europeans call terroir, which brings together all of the contributions of the soil, sun exposure and microclimate that is channeled into the finished wine. Old World wines might be considered to depend more on tradition then technology, while New World wines are seen as the products of new winemaking techniques and vineyard practices. It has been suggested that terroir creates character or personality in a wine, while the quality of the wine is more dependent on the skill and objectives of the winemaker. Think of it as a signature on the wine. Old World wines might be considered in many cases to be more subtle, more complex and have a greater aging potential. Many New World wines are seen as being more fruit- forward, higher in alcohol and unlikely to age as well as their Old World counterparts.

This may mean that many New World wines are ready to drink within a few years, which may make them more appealing.

One other interesting difference between these two categories of wines is that New World wines usually include the grape varietal on the label, while many Old World wines emphasize only the region, like Bordeaux or Burgundy. If this topic interests you, I suggest you consider creating your own tasting of Old World versus New World wines with some of the recommendations listed here, which worked well in our recent wine appreciation class.

These wines should be available through most wine shops; however, you may not find them on the shelves and may have to ask your wine merchant to order them for you.