old world / new world

[Kunal]

HI
I was wondering if someone could give me a diffrinceation between old world wines and new world wines. Which countries fall under which category ?!?

Thanks

[Kcwhippet]

The old world is generally defined as the area around Europe where wines have been made for many centuries. The new world is everywhere else where winemaking is a fairly new tradition - North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

[Drew]

It also suggests a style of wine. Old world portraying natural flavors or "terroir" with little influence of oak; New world portraying expressive fruit and oak with very little emphasis on "terroir".
Terroir can be explained as climate, soil and grape together being expressed in a wine...it's personality.

Drew

[This message has been edited by Drew (edited 06-03-2002).]

[Innkeeper]

In many cases the difference between the two is being reduced every year, as some misguided Europeans try to emulate New World wines, thinking that is the way to increse market share.

[Auburnwine]

I find myself being constantly disappointed by "old world" wines. At a blind tasting a few weeks ago, I brought a 1994 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva (#49 in Wine Spectator's Top 100). Our group found it rather non-descript beside some modestly well-known Shirazes.

This has also happened to me over and over with French wines. And I have just had some French JUNK that was reputed to be quite tasty.

Is it just me or is the Old World Emperor wearing no clothes?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Auburn, and welcome to the Wine Board. It could be just you, but don't worry about it. The whole idea is to drink what you like.

On another board recently they took a New World/Old World poll. The majority of the respondants voted Old World. Next came New/Old combos; and, finally, New World. I'm a combo for a couple of reasons. I was raised on the East Coast and was stationed in Europe on my early military assignments. Then I ended up in Hawaii for almost five years in the '70s, and saw California develop in front of my eyes. Also got to Australia and New Zealand VERY early on.

As I mentioned in an early post above, a lot of what is coming out of parts of Europe at this time is New World, and in many cases not very competitive at that. Maybe you just haven't had good Old World experiances. Check out various threads on this Board to get some good suggestions. Italy, Germany, Spain, Rhone, Bordeaux, and Burgundy threads are all suggested. You will see where many of us have posted wines from both worlds.

[Drew]

Keep trying, Auburnwine, I still enjoy the old world more than the International style and have had equal amounts of good and bad from both....the styles don't predijuce, they have equal good and plonk.

DRew

[hotwine]

Ain't THAT the truth! Well said, there, Drewski.