During our midterms presentation, one thing that I was struck by was how many wine regions were noted for their ancient tradition of growing wine. From my own group (Western China) who noted how trade along the Silk Road brought wine to China to the ancient winemaking traditions highlighted in Georgia, Greece, and Croatia, we all seemed to believe that tradition was a compelling selling point for why a region might emerge on the global stage as the next wine region.
As I thought about tradition’s role in winemaking, I was reminded of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, When Worlds Collide: A Shifting Wine Map, which explored the question of whether the Old versus New World framework for dividing the wine world still made sense.
The article questioned how useful this framework will be in the future as winemaking and the weather influence the industry. For instance, the article explains that historically New World wines were identified by their grape varietal, where as Old World wines were described by the place. This is just one paradigm that is changing as wines from France and Italy are increasingly adding the grape names to the label.
Another shifting paradigm was illuminated by Peter Monday when he described the Sauvignon Blanc we drank in class as “New Zealand style.” While Napa is still New World, referring to the New Zealand style as one to be emulated signals a significant change in how New World styles are appreciated in the wine world.
Our warming climate has also changed how we view traditional wine growing regions, as new regions from the Midwest in the U.S. to England have become growing regions.
I suspect that the hegemony that the Old versus New World framework will go the way of Robert Parker-like critics. In other words, I believe that this framework will become less relevant for younger generations, as how people think about, experience and learn about wine changes. That said, as our wine presentations suggested, so much of wine culture and appreciation is still steeped in tradition—as proven by the persistence of the 1855 classification system in Bordeaux. How will the next generation of wine drinkers think about the world of wine?
I think the article makes a very good point on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Argentinian Malbec.
ReplyDelete"In the New World, two countries have managed to improve on Old World varietals: New Zealand with Sauvignon Blanc and Argentina with Malbec. I mean no disrespect to Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Quincy or the other Loire Valley appellations where Sauvignon Blanc grows very well, but wines from these places haven’t caught the world’s attention the way New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has. And though Malbec originated in the Cahors region of France, wine drinkers everywhere know Argentine Malbec; Cahors Malbec, not so much."
This is another example of how the Old World appellation system can be limiting for certain market participants. While it helps regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy command a price premium, it is difficult for a small appellation like Sancerre to compete for international recognition when it is going up against the production of all of New Zealand. If people are drinking New Zealand sauvignon blanc more often, then it is going to be an easier reference point for them, and they are more likely to keep buying what they know.