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New World
From the perspective of wine, the New World includes North and South
America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and perhaps Central and Eastern Europe.
New World countries are not necessarily new to wine making;
California, for example, has been making wine for centuries. Because winemaking
is international, the distinction between New World and
Old World wines is blurring.
Noble Rot
Noble Rot is a fungal infection caused by
Botrytis Cinerea. Noble Rot in
essence sucks water from affected grapes, producing shriveled, moldy grapes
that turn your stomach to look at, and lead to some of the world’s best dessert
wines, including French Sauternes and Hungarian Tokaji Aszú. The conditions must be
just right, the grape must be the right
varieties
such as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The climatic conditions must also be just right: damp, misty
mornings followed by warm, sunny afternoons or else instead of Noble Rot, the grapes undergo
Grey Rot, they simply rot.
Nouveau
Nouveau, the French word for new, refers to wines that are the first products
of the harvest. The best known nouveau vin (wine) is Beaujolais Nouveau,
traditionally released to the public on the fourth Thursday of November.
Nouveau wines are fruity and easy to drink. They should be enjoyed within
months of their release. Italy's offerings are known as Vino Novello.
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