So old wineskins are not thrown away or only being used to hold old wine. The wineskin is soaked until it is rejuvenated to its supple and soft state to be ready for the new wine. To recondition it, an old wineskin needs to be cleaned and then soaked in oil. The grape transforms itself simply by being broken by man, because it transforms itself with nothing else. The process of winemaking is that of transformation, a result of breaking wholes into parts and integrating parts into wholes, grapes into wine. Wine traditionally is the central symbol for transformation. These wines are often made in a more highly extracted and oak-influenced style. What is the difference between new and old wine?ĭear Devendra, The most basic difference between Old World and New World wines is geographic: “Old World” refers to the traditional winegrowing regions of Europe, while “New World” refers to everything else. Fasting this way would be burdensome to the new disciples, and would be more than they could bear. In his commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John Calvin states that the old wineskins and the old garment represent Jesus’ disciples, and the new wine and unshrunk cloth represent the practice of fasting twice a week.