SHOP LOCAL, GLOBALLY
Let the Worlds Collide By Jill Kwiatkoski, Sommelier (CAPS)
In wine circles, you will often hear references to “Old World” and “New World” wines—but what exactly is the difference? Let’s start at the beginning of time—or the beginning of wine anyway. In wine speak, the term “Old World” refers to wine regions in the continents of the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, as well as some smaller regions in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Asia) in contrast to the New World, composed of the Western Hemisphere (North America, Mexico, and South America) and the Southern Hemisphere (South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand). The Old World is rich in ancient history, culture, theology, art, science, philosophy, and, of course, viticulture! In countries such as Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain (where we source the majority of our Old World wines at Jones & Co.), viticulture, wine, and winemaking are deeply ingrained parts of their history and culture. Whether it’s a glass of Chianti with your pasta, a bottle of Burgundy with your duck à l’orange, a glass of Port with your stilton cheese, or a frasco of wine with your paella, there is always a bottle of wine on the dinner table in these countries (yes, even the children are allowed to have a sip at the dinner table). The principle at the heart of Old World winemaking is that their wines express the terroir of their specific region—this is the essence of Old World wines. When you open that beautiful bottle of Maison Harbour Preau Côte de Nuits ($127.99), you are teleported to the heart of Burgundy: you can practically smell the air and taste the ancient soil the vines have grown in for decades. When you have that first sip of the glorious Zarate Albariño ($34.99), you can taste the salty Spanish sea air as the wine dances on your palate. Old World wines express the unique and specific characteristics of their regions. Their land shapes their wines. I could talk about the Old World for days, but let’s explore the New World: the Americas, the Southern Hemisphere—the new kids on the block (no, not those cute ones from the ’90s boy band). New World countries were colonized by European settlers who brought their
40 Shop Local, Globally
history, culture, and way of life to these new-to-them worlds. Winemaking traditions in the New World are far more recent (meaning they have been producing wine for centuries, not millennia). The New World is often characterized by big, bold wines with higher alcohol; innovation and experimentation with different blends and non-traditional production methods; and modern labels and “fun” names for both wineries and wines. New World wines tend to focus on the grape variety rather than where that grape variety hails from—and they are not shackled by the traditions and regulations that can shape Old World wine regions. When you open that bottle of Jax Cabernet Sauvignon ($101.99), you know it will be bursting with big juicy notes of black currant, black cherry, baking spice, and cedar that will take over your palate. You know that bottle of Undurraga Terroir Hunter Carménère ($42.99) will offer beautiful inky/purple juice with notes of grilled bell peppers, sweet/ smoky tobacco, blackberry, cherry, and cocoa powder because that is what Carménère promises. New World wines express the grape variety—they focus on what is inside the bottle rather than where that wine originates.
