Old categories and new wine geographies. Discussing the creation of value, tradition and identity

Wine production is a cultural, creative, versatile activity, and at the same time, it carries conservative and traditional ideas and classifications that, in some cases, do not fit the dynamism and diversity of the global wine scenery. To achieve a better understanding and with the hope to eventually overcome this complex decalage, this article presents a theoretical discussion of value creation in the context of emerging wine-growing areas. The need to incorporate asocio-anthropological perspective to the study of value is explained, and the limits posed by the reproduction of representation and valorization models based on the classic discourse versions of terroir, tradition, and identity are argued. Given the factthat the worlds of wine (Old/New/Third), are being expanded and transformed, this paper shows that the new wine geographies offer a valuable testing ground for a well-aimed interpretation of the winemaking scenarios of the 21st century.