Old World

(See also: New World)

Many wine lovers divide Planet Wine into Old World and New World as though it has always been that way, or at least has been so for a very long time. In fact, only from the late 1970s did these terms enter normal usage. According to this view the Old World comprises all the wine regions within the boundaries of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent, and the New World is made up of all the wine regions outside those boundaries. Of course, this is both Eurocentric and loaded with value judgments (the European “originals” being deemed inherently superior and more authentic). From a historical perspective it is highly dubious. For example, during the late Roman period China had a flourishing wine industry that had nothing whatsoever to do with Europe. This view also firmly places Gut Hermannsberg in the Old World, which is flattering, but the estate was only founded in 1902. In contrast, South Africa’s wine industry belongs to the New World, although the first wine was made there in 1659! However, as long as these terms are not used rigidly or judgmentally they can be a useful tool for describing broad wine types.