Science, then upheaval. Oenology became a discipline under Émile Peynaud and temperature control rewrote white wine; the 1976 Judgment of Paris, where Napa bottles out-scored first growths blind, ended Europe's monopoly on prestige. Malbec returned in Argentine dress, Australia and New Zealand redrew Syrah and Sauvignon, and the fine-wine map became genuinely global — just as a warming climate began moving the goalposts, ripening Petit Verdot in Bordeaux and planting vines in England.
Period — 1950–today
The Modern & New World Era
Key events
- 1956The great February frost redraws Bordeaux — Merlot replaces Malbec
- 1973First vines go into Marlborough — a world benchmark within twenty years
- 1976The Judgment of Paris — Napa beats the first growths blind
- 1994Chile's 'merlot' is unmasked as Carmenère, Bordeaux's lost grape
- 1991Rioja becomes Spain's first DOCa; the export era of the New World begins
- 2021Bordeaux approves new varieties against climate change
The grapes of the era
Indicative presence index, 0–100
The wines of the era
Pomerol
Red wine
Champagne
Sparkling
White Burgundy
Dry white
Napa Cabernet
Red wine
Bolgheri (Super Tuscan)
Red wine
Saint-Émilion Red
Red wine
Red Burgundy
Red wine
Prosecco
Sparkling
Columbia Valley Cabernet
Red wine
Sonoma Pinot Noir
Red wine
Maipo Cabernet
Red wine
Paso Robles Red
Red wine
Médoc Red
Red wine
Mendoza Malbec
Red wine
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Dry white
Hermitage
Red wine
Central Otago Pinot Noir
Red wine
Coonawarra Cabernet
Red wine
Barbaresco
Red wine
Alsace Riesling
Dry white
Douro Red
Red wine
Pfalz Riesling
Dry white
Franciacorta
Sparkling
Rheinhessen Riesling
Dry white
Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc
Dry white
Hawke's Bay Red
Red wine
Swartland Chenin Blanc
Dry white
Ningxia Cabernet
Red wine
Clare Valley Riesling
Dry white
McLaren Vale Shiraz
Red wine
Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Red wine
Tasmania Sparkling
Sparkling
Finger Lakes Riesling
Dry white
Okanagan Red
Red wine
Chianti
Red wine
Côtes de Provence rosé
Rosé
Brunello di Montalcino
Red wine
Barossa Shiraz
Red wine
Condrieu
Dry white
Soave
Dry white
Nemea
Red wine
Alentejo Red
Red wine
Alsace Pinot Gris
Dry white
Crozes-Hermitage
Red wine
Saint-Joseph
Red wine
Côtes du Rhône
Red wine
Nahe Riesling
Dry white
Baden Spätburgunder
Red wine
Etna Bianco
Dry white
Barolo
Red wine
Rioja
Red wine
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
Dry white
Willamette Pinot Noir
Red wine
Ribera del Duero
Red wine
Bandol
Red wine
Gavi
Dry white
Dão Red
Red wine
Hunter Valley Sémillon
Dry white
Chinon
Red wine
Pouilly-Fumé
Dry white
Cornas
Red wine
Gigondas
Red wine
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Red wine
Valpolicella
Red wine
Vermentino di Gallura
Dry white
Dry Furmint (Tokaj)
Dry white
Aglianico del Vulture
Red wine
Toro
Red wine
Jumilla
Red wine
Bekaa Valley Red
Red wine
Mantinia
Dry white
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Red wine
Sancerre
Dry white
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Red wine
Côte-Rôtie
Red wine
Amarone della Valpolicella
Red wine
Wachau Grüner Veltliner
Dry white
Margaret River Cabernet
Red wine
Cava
Sparkling
Dolcetto d'Alba
Red wine
Montefalco Sagrantino
Red wine
Alto Adige Lagrein
Red wine
Savennières
Dry white
Tavel
Rosé
Picpoul de Pinet
Dry white
Crémant du Jura
Sparkling
Teroldego Rotaliano
Red wine
Bairrada
Red wine
Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood)
Red wine
Vin de Constance
Sweet white
Valtellina
Red wine
Jura Chardonnay
Dry white
Rapsani
Red wine
Navarra Rosado
Rosé
Graves & Pessac-Léognan Red
Red wine
Mosel Riesling
Dry white
Beaujolais
Red wine
Rías Baixas Albariño
Dry white
Chilean Carmenère
Red wine
California Zinfandel
Red wine
Priorat
Red wine
Moscato d'Asti
Sparkling
Etna Rosso
Red wine
Nero d'Avola
Red wine
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Red wine
Chablis
Dry white
Lambrusco
Sparkling
Niagara Icewine
Sweet white
English Sparkling
Sparkling
Arbois Trousseau
Red wine
Saint-Péray
Dry white
Arbois Savagnin
Dry white
Pfalz Dornfelder
Red wine
Banyuls
Fortified
Fronton
Red wine
Gaillac
Dry white
Barbera d'Asti
Red wine
Santorini Assyrtiko
Dry white
Cape Pinotage
Red wine
Burgenland Blaufränkisch
Red wine
Primitivo di Manduria
Red wine
Argentine Torrontés
Dry white
Vinho Verde
Dry white
Taurasi
Red wine
Neusiedlersee Zweigelt
Red wine
Uruguayan Tannat
Red wine
Štajerska Furmint (Orange)
Dry white
Dry White Bordeaux
Dry white
Vouvray
Dry white
Alsace Gewurztraminer
Dry white
Qvevri Saperavi
Red wine
Madiran
Red wine
Corbières
Red wine
Rueda
Dry white
Naoussa
Red wine
Rheingau Riesling
Dry white
Blanquette de Limoux
Sparkling
Fendant
Dry white
Patrimonio
Red wine
Cannonau di Sardegna
Red wine
Valdeorras Godello
Dry white
Fiano di Avellino
Dry white
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
Dry white
Qvevri Amber Wine
Dry white
Dingač
Red wine
Tsolikouri
Dry white
Voskehat
Dry white
Haghtanak
Red wine
Tsinandali
Dry white
Qvevri Rkatsiteli (Amber)
Dry white
Port
Fortified
Tokaji Aszú
Sweet white
Muscadet
Dry white
Cahors
Red wine
Bierzo
Red wine
Bouzeron
Dry white
Jurançon
Sweet white
Apremont
Dry white
Utiel-Requena Bobal
Red wine
Franken Silvaner
Dry white
Vin Jaune
Dry white
Arbois Poulsard
Red wine
Savoie Mondeuse
Red wine
Madeira
Fortified
Cirò
Red wine
Chilean País
Red wine
Sherry
Fortified
Cour-Cheverny
Dry white
Marsala
Fortified
Retsina
Dry white
Sauternes
Sweet white
Commandaria
Sweet white
Colares
Red wine
Crémant de Bordeaux
Sparkling
Clairet
Rosé