The New World refers to everywhere outside of Europe. Wine names are all about the fruit inside that bottle, the grapes! In this "new world" term, it means that winemakers became obsessed with a new technique: producing wines using ONE grape varietal instead of the Old European way style of blending the grapes. Wines are named after the type of grapes and are classified as "varietal" wines: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The New World attitude is at a more relaxed state in the wine naming and making process than that of Europe, although of course, have rules too.
As the U.S is a huge market for European wines, the exported brands have increasingly been adding grape variety names to their labels to appease the American consumers. New World "wine names" have long accommodated to the grand marketplace as well. As wine knowledge increased and wine buffs have recognized the important contributions of the actual growing regions to the flavor & quality - wine names have included the actual location of the vineyards. Russian River Valley, Stags' Leap & Napa Valley have long become synonymous with prestige and quality.
Savvy Shopper Fact: Sherry, Burgundy, Port, Chablis on American Jug (or box lol) wines are a mis-truth as they do not come from those regions - they are simply mass produced, mass market blends of various grapes. These generic named gems are, of course, lesser in quality and in price and not so much for the savvy shopper & wine enthusiast.
Wine Fact: In the United States the regional growing areas are known as AVA - American Viticultural Areas. The only requirement for a wine to use an AVA on the label is that 85% of the contents needs to be from grapes grown in that area.
