Your Guide to New World Wine

If someone asked you to name a famous wine producing country off the top of your head, chances are that France, Italy, or Spain would be the first ones you think of. However, take a look in any wine retailer or supermarket now and you can find wine from a vast array of countries from all over the world. In fact, you would be pretty hard pressed to find a country that doesn’t produce some kind of wine! Here at DrinkWell, we believe that variety is the spice of life, so in this blog we are going to introduce you to New World wines that can add some international flavour to your wine cellar!

2024's Best Wines
£134.99

Nutrition details (per 125ml)

ABV12%
Calories82
Sugars0g
Carbohydrates0g

Each bottle saves you (vs standard average*):

Calories
186.0

*Statistics based from Drinkaware 2023 and Alcohol Health Alliance 2022

Discover our collection of wines that have taken 2024 by storm! This case is a curated selection of customer favourites ... read more

What is New World Wine?

Put simply, New World Wines are wines that are produced outside of the regions typically considered to be the birthplace of wine, which include the traditional wine growing regions of Europe and parts of the Middle East. Wines grown in these regions are known as Old World Wines, and include countries with a long established history of wine production, such as France, Italy, Israel, Spain, and Portugal.

New World wine regions are basically any of those that do not sit within the Old World. These include Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States, and are labelled as ‘New World’ because they started winemaking after the Old World countries, originally replicating the techniques used in Europe.

Since New World Wines tend to originate from vineyards in hotter countries, the grapes used are usually riper. This results in full bodied wines with high alcohol contents, often with bolder fruitier flavours. Whilst Old World Wines are produced using the same winemaking techniques that have been used for centuries, New World winemakers are often more experimental in their wine production, and as such the winemaking practices and final product can vary dramatically.

Argentinian Wine

Argentina is the largest producer of wine in South America, producing a wide array of wines including Syrah, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, and Malbec. Whilst it may be best known for its red wines (in particular Malbec), Argentina also produces white wines such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Despite being known as a ‘New World’ region, wine has been produced here since the 1500s, when it is believed that the Spanish first brought vine cuttings to Argentina. Nowadays, Argentina is the fastest growing exporter of wine in the New World. By far the largest wine producing region within Argentina is Mendoza, where around three-quarters of all Argentinian wine production takes place. 85% of the country's Malbec is also produced in Mendoza.

If you fancy yourself a bit of lower calorie Argentinian Malbec, you have come to the right place. DrinkWell is pleased to be able to bring to you Don Aparo Malbec. With its big, juicy blackberry flavours, and overtones of plum and black cherry, you’ll soon see why Argentinian Malbec wines are world renowned. This vegan and gluten free wine impressively boasts a 14.4% ABV whilst containing just 91 calories and 0.25g of sugar per 125ml. At just £9.99 per bottle, you’ll find it hard to resist this one!

Australian Wine

Seeing as Australia's geography and climate couldn’t be further removed from those found in Europe, the fact that European settlers found a way to produce wine here is a fine display of willpower, dedication, and innovation! And their hard work didn't go to waste - Australia is now one of the largest exporters of wine, and there is a $3.5 billion domestic market for Australian wines, representing a significant contribution to the national economy and employment. A range of grapes are successfully grown in Australia, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Semillon, Pinot noir, Riesling, and Sauvignon blanc being the most prominent varieties. The wine regions in Australia are Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.

Shiraz and Chardonnay are the most popular Australian wines, so we were determined to find some lower calorie examples of these wines to bring to our customers. Therefore, it gives us great pleasure to introduce you to the below Aussie offerings.

The Last Stand Chardonnay

Hand selected by ourselves from Victoria, Australia, we fell in love with the distinctive citrus and white peach flavours of this zesty Chardonnay. It pairs beautifully with tempura fried vegetables, chicken salads, or crispy Chinese pork. With just 78 calories and 0.1g of sugar per 125ml, we are particularly proud of this discovery. We would love you to see why - order yourself a bottle from the DrinkWell website for £9.99 to find out for yourself!

Boundary Lane Shiraz

If you are only going to try one Australian wine, it has to be a Shiraz, and we think there is no better entry to Aussie wines than this Boundary Lane Shiraz. This medium bodied wine has soft berry fruit flavours with hints of aromatic spices. It is also 100% gluten free, and contains 82 calories per 125ml. You can pick up a bottle of this 13.5% ABV Australian Shiraz for £9.99 on the DrinkWell website.

Chilean Wine

Wine grapes were initially introduced to Chile by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Later on, in the 19th Century, French varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère, and Franc were introduced. In more recent times, wine production in Chile has experienced somewhat of a renaissance since the 1980s, and Chile is now the 7th largest producer of wine in the world.

Around half of the vineyard area of Chile is estimated to be less than 15 years old, which shows just how much wine production has increased in the region in recent years. The climate is very favourable for grape growing, and subsequently, a wide variety of grapes grow very well in Chile. In particular, native French grapes Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon are popular and well-established, so you’ll find plenty of high-quality examples of these wines coming from Chile.

If Sauvignon Blanc is your go-to white wine, we have a number of irresistible lower calorie Sauvignon Blanc wines from Chile available at DrinkWell. Why not try the Tierra de Estrellas Sauvignon Blanc or

Tierra del Rey Sauvignon Blanc, each with 82 calories per 125ml and available for £8.99 per bottle. Or, if you are looking to spend a bit more, try the crisp and refreshing Casa del Bosque Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, which contains 90 calories per 125ml and is available to purchase from the DrinkWell website for £13.99. If it's red wine you are after, fear not - we also have a range of exciting Chilean red wines.

Pico a Pico Carmenere Merlot

Pico a Pico Carmenere Merlot is our current favourite Chilean red wine. It contains 86 just calories per 125ml and will cost you just £8.99 when purchased from the DrinkWell website. Aside from its delicious spicy red fruit taste, we love this wine because it is 100% fairtrade. It is made by a co-operative boutique winery that operates as a Fairtrade enterprise, committed to producing high-quality wines as well as promoting the social and economic development of the community.

New Zealand Wine

New Zealand is arguably most well known for its exotic and acidic Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs. After these zesty Sauvignon Blancs started gaining international recognition in the 1980s, New Zealand is now the second-largest producer of Sauvignon Blanc behind France, and it is the most commonly grown grape variety in New Zealand. More recently, New Zealand has begun producing full-bodied, fruit-driven Pinot Noir wines.

Although being a notoriously difficult grape to grow well, Pinot Noir flourishes in the cooler climate and rich soils found in New Zealand, helping the region produce Pinot Noirs to rival those from its native Burgundy. New Zealand has 10 wine growing regions, with an enviable climate and environment for grape growing.

Can’t believe that a New Zealand Pinot Noir could rival a French one? Why not try our Pilferer Organic Pinot Noir.

Pilferer Organic Pinot Noir

With grapes selected from 35-year-old vines, and 18 months in a French oak barrel, this lower calorie red wine has strong structure and complexity. It pairs perfectly with duck and mushroom dishes, and is 100% organic, vegan friendly and contains only 85 calories per 125ml. Treat yourself and order a bottle from the DrinkWell website for £17.99.

If Sauvignon Blanc is more to your taste, we have a number of lower calorie New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs available at Drink Well. There’s the Southern Lights Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with just 78 calories per 125ml (£11.49 per bottle), or the exotic Long White Sauvignon Blanc, whose tropical and citrus fruit flavours will not disappoint (79 calories per 125ml, £11.99 per bottle). If you are looking for something organic, we have the Wildsong Organic Sauvignon Blanc, filled with nectarine, grapefruit, and rockmelon characters with an elegant lime zest lift. It is also vegan friendly and gluten free, with 91 calories per 125ml. You can order a bottle from the DrinkWell website for £14.99 today.

South African Wine

Having been producing wine since the 1600s, South Africa is one of the oldest New World wine regions. The majority of the country's wine production centres around Cape Town, where the first-ever bottle of South African wine was made! Prominent wine producing regions include Constantia, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Worcester, and the Mediterranean climate coupled with the long, warm growing season make South Africa a dynamic wine producer. As a country, South Africa is committed to continuously improving the quality of the wines produced there, with a dedicated ‘Vine Improvement Programme’ which is tasked with bringing the South African wine industry to the forefront of viticultural advances.

South Africa’s most famous grapes are white Chenin Blanc and red Pinotage, with almost 20% of vines planted in the region being of the Chenin Blanc variety. In fact, South Africa is now the largest producer of Chenin Blanc in the world, even surpassing the native Loire Valley in France! You’ll also find other popular wines coming from South Africa, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Merlot.

We are big fans of South African wine here at DrinkWell, and have an impressive collection of lower calorie South African wines available - it is our most stocked New World Wine region! If you fancy trying a signature Chenin Blanc, why not try the Cape Heights Chenin Blanc, which contains only 79 calories per 125ml. A crisp acidity, coupled with delicate apple fruit on the palate, makes this Chenin Blanc a great accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken, and salads. You can find Cape Heights Chenin Blanc on the DrinWell website for £9.99 per bottle.

In the red wine camp, we have Jordan Chameleon Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (98 calories per 125ml, £14.99 per bottle). This is an approachable lower calorie, organic red wine that is driven by a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz grapes. Enjoy alfresco paired with southern Italian cured pork, goats cheese, and an olive tart.

American Wine

America is both a huge producer and a huge consumer of wine, accounting for 12% of the world’s wine production. Although wine is produced in every state of the USA, by far the most prominent wine region is California, which produces around 85% of all wine made in America. Other states that are notable wine producers include Oregon, Washington, New York, and Virginia. Over one hundred grape varieties are grown in California including French, Italian, and Spanish as well as hybrid grapes. Thanks to the reliably warm weather in California, wine producers are able to use very ripe grapes, leading to fruity wines that are very much of the ‘New World’ style.

If you want to bring a bit of Californian sunshine to your dinner table, order yourself a bottle of Wildwood Chardonnay, available for £8.99 on the DrinkWell website. This youthful wine comes from the Central Valley Delta area, which produces ripe grapes that benefit from cool ocean breezes, helping to retain fresh fruit aromas and structure. On the palate, tropical fruit flavours of pineapples, peaches, and ripened lemons lead the way to a crisp finish, balanced perfectly by mild acidity. With just 89 calories and 0.25g of carbs per 125ml, we can’t think of a reason to say no to this one.

In the mood for trying something new? Why not give one of the fantastic wines listed above a try, or browse the entire DrinkWell library for a fantastic selection of some of the best lower-calorie wines from around the world!

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