Everything old is new again—including old vine (OV) wines, produced from grapes grown on vines planted decades, and sometimes centuries ago. Vintners who tend these old vines are drawing renewed attention from producers, retailers, and drinkers alike. As we all seek authenticity in our choices and lives, the growing interest in OV wines is one way wine drinkers express this desire.
There is even a crowd-sourced global database of living historic vineyards—the Old Vine Registry. As of writing, they catalog 9,400 vineyards covering 92,000 acres. Old vines aren’t just trendy—they’re scarce, historically significant, and increasingly linked to sustainable winegrowing.
Definitions of old vine status vary across the industry. While the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, South Africa’s Old Vine Society, and Jancis Robinson’s Old Vine Registry designate vines aged 35 years and older as old, the Historic Vineyard Society applies a stricter 50-year standard.
Old vines account for a tiny share of global production. “Worldwide, it’s less than 1% of grapes grown,” said Tegan Passalacqua of Turley Wine Cellars.
Robin Kelley O’Connor, Certified Wine Educator (CWE), lecturer, writer, sommelier, and Bordeaux expert, explained to us why OVs are so cool. “Old vines can deliver better wine. Lower yields produce concentrated grapes with enhanced color, complexity, higher natural acidity, and intense flavors because the vines focus attention on fewer, higher-quality grape bunches. Old vine roots can run 32 to 65 feet deep, where they acquire different nutrients, minerals, and water than shallower-rooted, younger plants.
“The historic value is key,” O’Connor says. “They connect us to the past and heighten our awareness of terroir [a specific place]. A good example is Château Lafite Rothschild, from Bordeaux, which I consider one of the greatest wines produced. They began planting in 1234. The Château nurtures old vines, some over 90 years, from a parcel called “La Gravière” planted in 1886.”
For many vineyards, age is a badge of honor. San Leonardo in Trentino, Italy, boasts vines that are over 300 years old. Surprisingly, because California is among the more recently settled New World areas for growers and vintners, many of its AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) have vines in continuous production for over 150 years.
Just north of California, Alban Debeaulieu, the French-trained winemaker at Oregon’s Abbott Claim Winery, explained to Worth why the estate places such emphasis on its old vines. “I think it is a crucial factor in our customers’ decision to drink our wine. It’s one of the many building blocks of our brand and aligns with our philosophy and values. It’s emblematic of what we stand for, and how all of our vineyard decisions result in a bottle of wine that is consistently unique and of a high quality.”
In an agricultural world dominated by monocultural and GMO-selected traits for high yield, OVs have the added distinction of being genetically diverse. For example, OV Grenache can be Besson Grenache, a 100-year-old, uniquely complex varietal available from a few California vineyards.
Unanimously, OV vintners agree that one of the primary reasons to continue to nurture their aged plants is that they deliver concentrated flavor. Alban says, “The resulting wines often display elusive qualities that are otherwise difficult to manufacture through winemaking alone and embody the hallmarks of great wines: natural finesse, depth and concentration balanced by length and energy, supple tannins, and aromatic complexity. Thanks to their balanced yields and resilience to environmental fluctuations, they have greater capacities to store carbohydrates year over year. Old vines tend to reach optimal ripeness with greater consistency and predictability. The saying goes that the greatest wines make themselves (from terroir and vine quality, of which age is a crucial factor).”
On the sun-splashed French Riviera, more often associated with bikini-clad misbehavior than with a multi-generational family business, littoral Chateau Malherbe’s owner, Sébastien Ferrari, agrees. He told us, “Grapes from old vines are smaller and therefore more concentrated than those from young vines, which tend to produce larger quantities of less aromatically concentrated juice. As a result, well-maintained and carefully tended old vines produce juices that are more balanced and fresher, with complex aromatics that truly express their terroir.”
The jury is out on whether a new shoot grafted onto an old root constitutes an old vine. Two experts we spoke to held differing opinions. One felt it takes five to 10 years for the vascular systems of the old and new to align. While this is happening, the youngster can’t be considered an OV. The other said he’d noticed complexity and other OV traits almost immediately after grafting.
OVs are predominantly red varieties, possibly because the popular grape types of centuries ago were red—Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, and Cinsault. However, Abbott Claims’ oldest vines are Chardonnay, and Malherbe treasures their Ugni Blanc. “At the time, we did not have a positive image of Ugni Blanc, a grape variety more commonly associated with Cognac, and we almost uprooted this parcel. That would have been a serious mistake: with age, Ugni Blanc brings a unique and complex aromatic profile to the wine, giving it a truly distinctive identity.”
Regarding his reds, Alban observed, “I’ve personally found that vine-age is an even more crucial factor in the quality of red wines, as the quality and quantity of tannins is fundamental, positively correlated with age.”
Regarding the ethical component of OVs, they are more likely to be sustainably grown than newly planted ones. There are several reasons. First and foremost, with their deep root systems, they require little or no water and are almost universally dry-farmed. Next, they’ve stood the test of time and have proven more resilient, not requiring pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides to remain healthy. Third, because of their gnarly-shaped trunks and arms, they often require more TLC, a hands-on operation which, by definition, brings growers closer to their land. And since OVs have lower yields, vintners willing to sustain their investment in a superior product at the cost of losing volume are likely the same ones more inclined to seek virtuous models, where quality takes precedence over quantity.
Eminent importer/distributor David Skurnik limits his business to ethical wine. In the OV category, he represents seven OV vineyards, including South Africa’s Wellington (vines 125 years old) and Chile’s Parra Nipas, which was planted in 1885. He notes, “Vines have an uncanny ability to learn as they mature. Once they shed their youthful exuberance, OVs adapt and produce fruit with a depth of flavor that reflects years of interaction with the mother rock below. When combined with the proper respect by a winemaker, an ethereal wine can result, which we are very proud to share with our friends and clients.”
Ethically-focused wine retailer Tyler Armstrong at One Kourt Bottle Shop on Long Island’s North Fork thinks his customers benefit from buying OV wines because, as he told Worth, “Older vines really do produce higher quality wines, We’re lucky to be able to hand-sell much of our wine, so we welcome the term “old vines” as an extra talking point when discussing what’s in the bottle. It allows us to educate people about vine age and even delve into the history of particular vineyards and producers. Although the term can appear on a label without strict requirements, any retailer who vets their wines carefully can ensure it is true. It’s not the most important thing on a wine label, but any extra information that gives our customers more understanding about what they’re buying is good for everyone.”
Restaurants are fans too. At the Parker Palm Springs, sommelier Bruce Barrett, winner of the California Restaurant Writers Sommelier of the Year Award, includes OV wines in both Parker’s wine bar, Counter Reformation, and their formal restaurant, Mister Parker’s. Featured among Counter Reformation’s meticulously curated list are two OV Spanish choices—a biodynamically grown white Finca Can Valles from the DO Penedes made from ancient Xarel-lo grapes and a Senorio de Cuzcurrita Rioja. The latter has its vineyards within the stone walls of a 15th-century castle.
Surprisingly, OV wines are often accessible and affordable. Some Trader Joe’s stores carry Cline Family Cellars Zinfandel, a luscious, full-bodied wine from 100+ year-old vines. The Cline family is dry-farming this historic site, planted by Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese immigrants.
However, until you’re conversant in OVs, it’s helpful to have a knowledgeable wine shop owner or sommelier assist you with your selections. There’s a lot to learn. What a good journey to immerse yourself in. Cin cin to old vines!
