Old World wine comes from Europe's traditional wine countries and is usually labelled by place, such as Chablis or Rioja. New World wine comes from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Chile and South Africa, and is usually labelled by grape. Drinks House 247 notes that climate, more than geography, explains most differences in style.
"Old World" and "New World" are two of the most useful shorthand terms in wine, and two of the most misunderstood. They do not mean old and new wines, and they do not mean one is better than the other. They describe where a wine comes from, and that tells you a good deal about how to read its label and what it might taste like.
Old World means the countries where European winemaking traditions developed: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria are the best known, along with Greece, Hungary and others around the Mediterranean and in Central Europe. Some definitions also include ancient wine cultures such as Georgia and Lebanon.
New World means the countries where European settlers planted vines, largely from the sixteenth century onwards: the USA, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the main examples. England, despite its location, is often treated as a newer producer, because its modern sparkling wine industry is only a few decades old.
| Old World (typically) | New World (typically) | |
|---|---|---|
| Label | Named after the place: Chablis, Rioja, Barolo | Named after the grape: Chardonnay, Malbec, Shiraz |
| Rules | Strict appellation systems control grapes, yields and ageing | Rules mainly define geography; grape choice and methods are freer |
| Climate | Often cooler and less predictable | Often warmer and sunnier |
| Style | More acidity, lower alcohol, earthy and savoury notes | Riper fruit, fuller body, often higher alcohol |
| Vintage variation | Can be large from year to year | Usually more consistent |
Every line in this table has exceptions, which is the most important thing to understand about the distinction.
In Europe, generations of experience established which grapes grow best where, and appellation laws were built around those traditions. The place name tells you the grape, the style and the rules the wine was made under. A bottle labelled Chablis must be made from Chardonnay grown in the Chablis area, even though the grape may not appear on the label at all.
That makes Old World labels harder to read at first. A few translations cover a large share of what you will see:
| The label says | The main grape is |
|---|---|
| Chablis, white Burgundy | Chardonnay |
| Red Burgundy | Pinot Noir |
| Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Beaujolais | Gamay |
| Bordeaux (red) | A blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot |
| Barolo, Barbaresco | Nebbiolo |
| Chianti | Sangiovese |
| Rioja (red) | Mainly Tempranillo |
Largely, yes. Grapes grown in warm, sunny places ripen fully, which produces more sugar, and therefore more alcohol, along with rounder, riper fruit. Grapes grown in cooler places ripen more slowly and keep more acidity, giving fresher, more restrained wines. Much of the New World's best-known wine comes from warm regions, and much of Europe's from cooler ones, so the generalisation holds on average.
But there are cool New World regions, such as Tasmania, Central Otago in New Zealand and the coastal parts of California, that make taut, elegant wines. And there are hot Old World regions in southern Spain, southern Italy and Portugal's Douro that make rich, powerful ones. A cool-climate Chardonnay from New Zealand can taste closer to Chablis than a warm-climate Chardonnay from southern Europe does.
Treat it as a starting point, not a verdict. If you enjoy fresh, savoury, food-friendly wines, Old World wines from cooler regions are a good place to look. If you prefer ripe, generous fruit, New World wines from warmer regions will often suit you. Then use the grape and the climate of the specific region to narrow it down. The most useful question is not "Old World or New World?" but "How warm was the place this grew?"
Old World wine comes from Europe's traditional wine countries and is usually labelled by place. New World wine comes from countries such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa and is usually labelled by grape.
France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria are the best known, along with Greece, Hungary and other European producers. Some definitions also include Georgia and Lebanon.
On average, New World wines are riper and fuller with more alcohol, and Old World wines fresher and more savoury. This is mainly due to climate, and there are many exceptions.
Most French appellations are named after the place, and the rules for each place define which grapes can be used. Chablis, for example, is always Chardonnay, even when the label does not say so.
Browse Bordeaux and Burgundy for the Old World, or Cabernet Sauvignon from around the world, and see how wine delivery works across London. Read on with our guides to Burgundy vs Bordeaux and Rioja's ageing terms.
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