As I pull the cork, I am transplanted to France by the slight animalistic nose, kissed with a touch of tobacco and earth. The bottle of wine is a 2004 Frederic Esmonin Gevrey Chambertin Estournelles St. Jacques, and as I work my way around town doing wine tastings with more than a dozen people, I am reminded of the subjectivity of wine.

For some, that hint of barnyard in a bottle is akin to nirvana, but for others it's as appealing as a colonoscopy. If you're wondering what causes that earthy, sometimes dirty nose that some love and others despise, it can usually be attributed to what the French call "terroir," which loosely translates to "a sense of place." However, it is best described as the sum of the effects an environment has on a wine.

But the French don't have a monopoly on terroir. In fact, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc is as much about the place as it is the grape, and another wine that stirs much discussion and diversity of opinion despite its growing popularity. The intense herb-like character with its robust nose of fresh tarragon and crisp, refreshing flavor of citrus and gooseberry tantalizes some palates while others are quite offended by what they call grass in a glass. Of course, not all New Zealand sauvignon blancs divide wine connoisseurs. The 91-point Wine Spectator-rated 2005 Craggy Range Te Muna Vineyard sauvignon blanc is an example that seems to conquer most followers of the grape.

Terroir also plays an important role in South Africa, where its native grape, pinotage, is all about the earth that sustains it. Its gamey, intense ripe fruit character makes some think of pig fat while others, including myself, are amused and intrigued by its unique nose and taste. Rather than a straight pinotage, an easier way to enjoy the grape may be in what the South Africans call a "Cape Blend." Warwick's Three Cape Ladies offers a more subtle version of the pinotage grape as opposed to their 100 percent offering.

Chardonnay is definitely subject to opinion. One person's fat is another person's fruit. Some want a chardonnay they can butter their bread with while others are more impressed with the Burgundian style of chardonnay; steely, austere and stony. A recent tasting of the Robert Stemmler Estate chardonnay, with its rich texture and layers of ripe concentrated fruit and high acidity, proved there are some California chardonnays that manage to please both camps. This could be due in part to a shifting of the American palate. As more California winemakers tend toward the Old World style of winemaking, letting the fruit do the talking without too much interference, wine drinkers are leaning the same way.

And this trend doesn't seem to discriminate. Cabernet, merlot, syrah, pinot noir and riesling are all drifting toward the more European Old World styles as well. But again, it's all subjective, and if you do like a very modern wine, such as the Grove Street Trias, there are plenty of folks making that style, including many Old World wineries.

So what is a New World wine versus an Old World wine? New World wine regions include the United States, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. Old World wine regions include Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Germany and Austria.

New World style is about making a statement. The wines are about the fruit and the sweetness. While most Americans say dry, they actually drink sweet. I wish I had a dime for every person who claims they like dry but are really looking for a chardonnay or shiraz with a fair amount of residual sugar.

Old World wine style is about terroir, the expression of the earth and wines with higher acid, seamless balance and perfect subtle harmony. I am reminded of the 2000 vintage Mas de Daumas, a wine that defines the Old World in stunning style. Predominantly cabernet sauvignon, this masterpiece from the Languedoc may be a dying breed as more and more European wines go the American route. While I love a New World wine like the Reynolds Persistence, we cannot afford to lose the charm and — dare I say it? — the funkiness, of a great Spanish rioja like Roda or a great red burgundy like the Frederic Esmonin.

Lisa Gmur is a fine wine specialist for Grand Crew Wine Merchants. Raise a Glass, written by a rotating group of beverage specialists, appears here every other week.