Old World vs. New World

[Ron Johnson]

There is a lot of talk these days about the divergent styles of winemaking. There are the "Old World" wines which rely on terroir and are made without a lot of technology or exposure to new oak, and then there are the "New World" or "International Style" wines where the winemaker's influence dominates terroir and fining, reverse osmosis, and exposure to new oak are de rigeur.

What are your thoughts on this dischotomy? Do you recognize this as a useful distinction? Do you have a preference for either style?

Thanks.

[Andreawine]

I teach this dichotomy in my classes - old world=subtle/earth-driven; new world=more fruit-driven. Yes, there are exceptions but it's a good starting point for teaching people tasting technique and general distinctions, when they are trying to create a balanced wine list.

The court of master sommeliers teaches it as part of the blind tasting process, and we find it works really well.

A