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Video Transcript: Old World Wines vs. New World Wines

Written By: ClassicWines.com Team on Thursday, May 1, 2008

Brian Freedman: Welcome to the Classic Wines Minutes brought to you by ClassicWines.com; I am your host Brian Freedman. Join me as we explore the world of wine with the Sommelier Instructors here at the Wine School of Philadelphia.

Keith Wallace: I am here today with David Snyder, a Sommelier Instructor at the Wine School of Philadelphia, and today we are talking about Old World versus New World wines. Dave, there's a big difference between Old World and New World, and really there's two different ways of thinking about these concepts.

David Snyder: Absolutely. The first way to think about Old World versus New World is region, where is it from. The Old World region is typically Europe and Southeastern Asia, and the New World is basically everywhere else.

Keith Wallace: So basically anywhere from Tasmania to California.

David Snyder: Absolutely. The other way to start thinking about Old World versus New World is style. So the Old World style is typically more earth driven, you get more minerals in there. It's not as fruit forward, and it's a little bit more friendly with food and lower alcohol context.

Keith Wallace: Oh fantastic, yeah, which I really need some good food wines, with my belly. Now, let's talk about labels, let's talk about labels. Now, it feels like you sometimes have to have a decoder ring to figure out European, especially French labels, but once you actually have figured out what the words mean, the terminology, and specifically the places, it's actually very easy.

Now, for instance if I want a great Cabernet Sauvignon based wine, I will ask for a Margaux, simply a Margaux. Now, here is the problem.

David Snyder: If you want a great Cabernet from the New World, for example, like California, sometimes you have to be a little bit more specific than intuitively you think you might have to be.

Keith Wallace: Yeah, exactly. So, for instance, if I want a great, great Cabernet from California, well then I am probably going to have to ask for a Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain in Napa Valley in California. So I end up saying a lot more, and I have to remember a lot more, easier, Margaux, very easy. It's counterintuitive, but once you get that decoder ring, it's fantastic.

Now just a recap, just to give some people some basic idea of what grapes are in what bottles. Dave, why don't you talk to me about what you are going to find in Bordeaux, in a Burgundy?

David Snyder: Yeah, in a Bordeaux you are going to find -- the main grapes either going to be cab or merlot, Burgundy is going to be pinot noir or chardonnay.

Keith Wallace: For the whites.

David Snyder: For the whites, right.

Keith Wallace: Even if you got into Italy, Chianti; everyone thinks that's a grape, but it's not.

David Snyder: Sangiovese.

Keith Wallace: Sangiovese is the grape, fantastic. Well, folks, thank you so much for watching, join us as we continue our wine journey. Look forward to seeing you again.

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