put new wine in old bottles
To introduce a new idea, method, or innovation into an established, outdated or inflexible system or organization.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“You cannot put new wine in old bottles to fix this company.”
“The board tried to modernize the firm, but putting new wine in old bottles failed because the culture remained rigid.”
“By attempting to implement radical digital reforms within such a stagnant bureaucracy, the director was merely putting new wine in old bottles.”
disputed origin
From new wine in an old bottle.
- 01
any old nook or cranny
Alternative form of any nook or cranny.
- 02
bad old days
The past, seen as a time when things were worse.
- 03
big old
Emphatically or impressively big; really big.
- 04
bottle away
To store up or stock up.
- 05
bottle up
To keep suppressed and hidden.
- 06
chip off the old block
Someone who takes after one of their parents; (generally) a person similar to another.
- 07
come the old soldier
Often followed by with: to deceive, impose upon, or take advantage of someone, as if exploiting one's superior age or experience.
- 08
dawn of a new day
A new beginning; a fresh start; an important, promising turning point.
Last updated August 10, 2026