Not yet time to abandon the New World | New Brief #244

In the US, the big news from the wine world this week has been that the American Court of Master Sommeliers is said to have scrapped the Old World and New World definitions in their education programs. Honestly, this is borderline non-news and not really important at all, but it is somewhat interesting when you look at the supposed reasons for it and the wine media attention it has received.

In this year’s January Brief, we wrote about the New and Old World definition (Is the “New World” outdated?), and our conclusion then was that ” it’s time to scrap the concept of a New World style of red wines on steroids and white butterscotch bombs.”. The wines from the New World have changed since the first ones began to be exported on a larger scale. It is no longer easy (if it ever was) to distinguish between the Old World and the New World in a blind tasting.

The fact that the differences in taste and style between the Old and New World have been blurred is said to be one of the Court’s arguments for its abolition. Another is that the division “disadvantages the New World countries and encourages cultural bias”. Some wine writers who commented on the Court’s decision believe it indicates a modernisation of its education material.

Yes, the concept of the New and Old World may be old-fashioned. Young people brought up with wines from all over the world certainly look at the world of wine differently than we do, those of us who remember when New World wines first started appearing on store shelves in and outside Europe over 30 years ago. We remember when the French dismissed New World wines as bland and easy to drink (implied as opposed to complex French wines). And it was with those types of wines that the New World initially profiled itself. Wines that Old World consumers raved about when they appeared.

Today, the term is not used as much as it was in the beginning when the New World was a novelty. Back then, it was a group of countries with drier, warmer, and sunnier climates – and a different tradition in production and consumption – and thus a wine style that was different from what we were used to. Then, when New Zealand appeared, there was suddenly a New World country that, climatically, did not fit in among the others. Now, each individual New World country has its specific character, and we usually talk about the countries individually, not as a group.

If the New World has suffered and feels disadvantaged by being called precisely this, we don’t know. But considering the market shares they took from the French wines on the export market, I find it hard to believe. It is wrong to think that Old World wines have more prestige and can charge more for their wines. How many prestige wines (and expensive wines) are there in Old World countries other than in France (and a bit in Italy)? Not many. Being in the Old World is not automatically an advantage.

Better than scrapping the term would be to relegate it to the chapter on wine history, which presumably is part of a sommelier’s training. You can’t get away from historical facts. The Old Wine World, that is, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caucasus (Georgia and Armenia mainly), made wine long before the birth of Christ. It spread the vines and wine culture to other continents it colonised in the 16th century and up to the 19th century. That the term would somehow be an expression of imperialism or oppression (which some commentators have suggested) is even more absurd.

The Old and New World describes history. The Old World started making wine, and then, much later, the New World followed. It is straightforward. Even today, it can function as a simple and practical shorthand for “wine countries other than Europe”.

And guess what? We actually have wine tours to the New World. Surely that sounds enticing, doesn’t it? You can still join the wine tour to New Zealand in March, a fantastic adventure to one of the world’s newest wine countries! And it is maybe possible also to join us in South Africa in February. See more information later in the Brief. Soon, South America in January 2025 will be on the program. The fact is that in South Africa and South America, they have been growing grapes and making wine longer than they have in the Médoc, a fascinating thought. Join us on a discovery tour in the old-new world of wine.

The best Christmas present

With all our travels, it’s hard to believe that it’s soon Christmas, but it is. If you’re looking for a Christmas present that is absolutely fantastic and will be a memory for life, take a look at our two winter tours:

• South Africa in February
• New Zealand in March

You can still book a seat or two on these very special trips. Just imagine what effect a small envelope under the Christmas tree with a gift card for one of these would have!

So treat yourself to something truly special this winter, join us on the wine tour to South Africa in February or the wine tour to New Zealand in March!

Autumn tours

The autumn tours to Bordeaux and Champagne in 2024 are underway. And maybe some others. (Rhone and Burgundy? What would you like?) More info coming soon.

More info on our wine tours here. “World’s Top Wine Tours“. Tours with the people who know wine and who have an unrivalled experience of wine and tours.

Travel in wine regions with someone you trust.

WE WISH YOU ALL AN EXCELLENT CHRISTMAS AND A VERY GOOD NEW YEAR.

Enjoy the Brief!

Britt & Per

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