Old World And New World Winemaking

Some wine experts call it a dichotomy; others see it as globalization of wine, with different countries and regions imparting their own unique flavour to wine. At one end we have the Old World wines, where Old World refers to the countries traditionally involved in winemaking for centuries. These are European countries like France, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Portugal, among others. There is a legacy of quality wine associated with the Old World, since the Old World vineyards have been tested and enhanced time and time again.

The New World refers to wine producing countries that have only recently (in the last century or so) taken up winemaking on a large scale. Earlier, the wines produced in these countries were primarily used for domestic consumption. New World countries include the United States (which increased its wine production only after the end of Prohibition in 1933), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South American countries of Argentina and Chile. There are general differences between Old World and New World winemaking. The following are some of the prominent ones:

The Extent of Regulation – In the Old World, the winemaker (or vintner) has to follow certain rules and regulations with regard to winemaking. Rules have been laid out for allowed grape varieties, harvesting, yields, winemaking methods and wine labelling. For instance, if you own a vineyard in Bordeaux, France, you may not plant Pinot Noir, but instead remain with Cabernet Sauvigon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. And there is a perfectly valid reason for this – Pinot Noir does not grow well in Bordeaux. Similarly, if you have a vineyard in Sancerre, grapes for Champagne must be harvested by hand as the laws demand the pressing of whole bunches of grapes. But if you own a vineyard in a New World country like Argentina or New Zealand, you could very well plant whatever grape variety you want to plant and wherever you want to plant it.

The Terroir – This is a French concept that covers several aspects of the vineyard environment. Terroir refers to the soil, temperature, altitude, prevailing winds, amount of rainfall, costal influence, and other growing conditions of the vineyard – all rolled into one word. The concept of terroir governs winemaking in the Old World – that is, nature determines which grape varieties are best suited for a particular region. On the other hand, the New World makes use of irrigation systems and other scientific modern cultivation methods to create an ideal winemaking environment.

Regional Classification – Also known as appellation, this is the Old World way of classifying wines. Called by different names in different Old World countries, they are a collective part of the European Union general categorization of wine called Quality Wines Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR). The most popular regions are Champagne and Bordeaux from France; Asti and Chianti from Italy; Rhine from Germany; Rioja and Sherry from Spain; and Oporto from Portugal. The Old World wines command quality from mere regional name alone, while the New World regional classification system is still in its infancy.

The Influence of the Winemaker – The Old World relies more on the terroir, or the natural vineyard environment, rather than the skill of the winemaker. On the other hand, winemakers play a crucial role in the New World, and this makes perfect sense. The New World does not have a perfect environment for winemaking and hence the quality of the yield very much depends on the skill of the winemaker. The New World needs modern winemaking skills to offset the inherent advantage the Old World enjoys. The New World winemakers are a much sort after group for their craftsmanship and the ability to create quality wines in a not-so-conducive environment.