Going Global
Travel in European wine country, and you’ll hear references to “Old World” the historic wine regions of Austria, Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Here, wines are made according to traditional laws that dictate just how much the winemaker can fool Mother Nature. Future columns will look at individual countries and varieties and suggest the best regions for enjoying them, as well as the landscape.
Brave New World
So, what’s “New World?” Right now that includes wines made in Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and the United States. But the world’s wine map is expanding all the time—now there’s winemaking in countries like Uruguay, Slovenia and Hungary. And sometimes it’s a matter of “old vines, new wines” in countries such as Greece, which has modernized its ancient winemaking traditions. Modernity is the key in the new world, and we’ll explore what that means.
One more thing …you’ll hear “terroir,” a lot in your wine travels. What is it? If you guessed dirt, you’re close. It’s the earth, yes, but in the wine world, it’s what accounts for a wine’s personality. The layout of the land and the soil underneath, the amount of sun and rain it received, and when the grapes were harvested—all these elements give a wine its expression. Its terroir.
Does it really matter? If you enjoy the wine the answer is no. Drink up! But because winemaking philosophies differ between new and old world, and assuming you’re a curious traveler, you’ll want to know the back story on that Sauvignon Blanc you’re about to drink.
In the end, the best wine is the one you enjoy. A French winemaker once told me that the best wine he ever had was a cheap Muscadet with the love of his life and the worst he had was an expensive Bordeaux with his enemy. Go figure.
Lana Bortolot is the east coast editor of The Tasting Panel, a nationally distributed magazine for the wine & spirits trade. She is pursuing the advanced Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) certificate.
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