What's the deal? New World vs. Old World

Perhaps you've heard of the terms New World Wine and  Old World Wine. If you haven't, that is perfectly okay! I am going to explain what those terms mean, what the differences are and why they're important. I've been thinking about these differences a lot as I prepare for my exams.

Old World Wine: Generally, this refers to wine made in Europe, however it is so much more than that. Old world wine-making is concerned with terroir, tradition, minimal human intervention. Wines tend to be much more subtle, nuances, or complex. Old World wine regions include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, Greece (Hungary, Israel, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Switzerland, England, Macedonia). Because Old World style is based on traditional and sometimes antiquated winemaking practices that have been passed down through the generations, it is spreading very slowly, often limited to its advocates.  Many of these practices are now regulated by strict laws to preserve an area’s authenticity. Old World wine styles are not limited to Old World regions, winemakers sometimes create wine in New World regions with an Old World style.

New World Wine: When talking about the new world, its a reference to countries colonized by Europeans and regions that are new to wine production. Wine-makers in the New World adopt their techniques from the Old World and expanded upon them. Many of these wine regions were started within the last 100 years and are designed for modern agriculture. Examples of New World Regions are the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, (China, India, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico, Canada). As opposed to the Old World, New World Style is spreading quickly, focusing on trends, technology and efficiency. Wines tend to be more bold and expressive. 

Is one style better than another? Not necessarily. Even in the New World, winemakers strive to replicate the wines that hail from the Old World. And in some areas of the old world, winemakers will make a bolder, trendier expression of their timeless wines as well.