Now that literally dozens of winemakers around the world have described the differences between Old and New World wines, I trust you’re thoroughly confused. But by now you should also have a much better grasp of why so many wine insiders believe that the past couple of decades have witnessed a blurring of the boundaries between these two “styles” of wine.
Wine lovers often refer to wines as “Old World” or “New World” in style, sometimes without even being able to explain what they mean. What do these two terms mean to you? What are the characteristics that would make YOU call a wine New World or Old World?”
Alberto Antonini, Wine Consultant (Italy and Argentina). Old World is meant to be Europe and all its wine countries, and New World is all the others in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The OW producer is trying to sell what he is making while the NW producer is making what he thinks is easier to sell. In other words, NW wines are designed to please the modern consumer. They are, organoleptically speaking, more friendly to the consumer (tannins are softer and juicier and aromas are more focused and upfront) and they deliver a more accessible concept to the market, which is the varietal concept (e.g., cabernet, chardonnay, etc.). READ MORE »
