Old World and New World wine

Wine enthusiasts talk about the Old World and the New World often, but where on earth does that mean?

The New World

The term “New World” refers to regions where extensive grape cultivation and wine production began following colonisation (America, South-Africa, Australia and New Zealand).

The Old World

The term “Old World” is used for places that already had an extensive grape cultivation and wine production before the colonial period. (Europe, North-Africa and the Middle East).

Besides geography, the difference between the Old World and the New World lies in the approach to winemaking. The New World has had a larger focus on science and large-scale production, while the Old World has concentrated on tradition, small-scale production and regional characteristics.This divide is in danger of being erased as the old and the new world approach each other.