It is common belief that Old World wines refer to wines from the
Old World (specifically wine regions in countries like France,
Italy and Spain) and that New World wines refer to wines from
the USA, South America and Australia. This benchmark might have
been true in the past but, nowadays, one can no longer rely on
this simplistic classification. Today, when we pit New World
wines against Old World wines, we are actually comparing the
wine styles and the wine making processes more than the wines’
place of origin. Wine Styles of Old World Wines What are the
typical characteristics of Old World wine styles? Compared to
New World wines (i.e. wines that have New World wine styles),
Old World wines tend to be less bold, less vibrant in color,
more delicate, and more elegant. They also tend to have higher
acidity and better natural balance. Old World wines also feature
more of the characteristics of the grape varietals used and
their Appellation or terroir. In Old World wine styles, higher
minerality is usual. Wine