War of the Worlds- 2007 Reininger Merlot
Our Merlot isn't this old yet...
Old World Wine v. New World Wine
All wine makers and drinkers can usually agree on one thing: wine is delicious. Beyond that, there are so many big and little details that split many wine enthusiasts into separate camps. Because there’s so many different styles of wine, even within the same varietals, there are endless opinions on which is the best. One of the classic wine world stand offs is Old World versus New World. The two wine worlds represent distinct growing regions and wine making philosophies. In the wine scene, “Old World” essentially refers to Europe and ancient wine growing regions. It goes beyond region and also refers to the traditional terroir central wine making philosophy. The quintessential example of Old World terroir-ist philosophy is found in Burgundy, where wine makers claim different characteristics can be tasted from geographic differences as small as different rows of vines in the same close (walled vineyard). The “New World” encompasses most wine regions outside Europe, such as Australia, South America, North America, and the Walla Walla Valley. New World wine philosophy focuses less on terroir and more on science and the influence of the winemaker. Due to globalization and the increase of information sharing, the two styles are increasingly less distinct as they share successes and failures and learn from each other.
An Old World Crossover- 2007 Reininger Merlot
Merlot is a great example of a varietal that clearly showcases a distinction between Old World and New World styles. Old World or traditional style Merlot is more earthy with minerality and a complexity that deepens with age. New World Merlots are more fruit driven, less complex, and generally intended for more immediate consumption. Obviously, since Reininger Winery is situated within the Walla Walla Valley in Washington State in North America, we are in the New World wine zone. That being said, our Merlot errs more on the Old World style. In the 2007 Reininger Merlot tasting notes, we described the complex flavors and earthiness found in our Merlot. The 2007 Reininger Merlot has both amazing depth and sumptuous berry fruit, the best of both worlds! In the perfect use of globalization and knowledge sharing, our Merlot brings the best of the Old World style into the best of the New World locations. Although many customers do drink our Merlot’s right away, they age incredibly well. We highly suggest that when you order the 2007 Reininger Merlot, you snag a few bottles and tuck one or two away if you can resist the temptation to drink them now!
For more information about globalization and the clash of the Old World and New World, we recommend watching Nossiter’s documentary Mondovino (2004).
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