Friday, June 1, 2018

Old Vines vs. Old World


Old Vines is a term used to describe wine made from vines of substantial age. There is no official standard for what constitutes an 'old' vine, but most authorities agree on 30 years as a minimum. It is believed that vine age has a significant effect on wine quality, because after 25 years of productivity, a vine's vigor and yield tend to reduce, concentrating flavor in its grapes. Some vines remain productive for over 100 years and are labeled as 'Ancient Vines'.

Old World is a designation confined to Europe; specifically, the historic wine-growing regions of western and central Europe. Within the Old World, tradition and culture take precedence over innovation and scientific application . The relevance of terroir is particularly important to these regions, though it is also recognized in the New World. Additionally, the wine production and labeling laws of the Old World are typically far more rigid than those of New World.

For more terminology, check this wine glossary provided at Wine Searcher:
A-B / C-D / E-F / G-L / M-N / O-P / Q-T / U-Z