The Truth About Old Vines

by Westgarth Wines February 01, 2019

“Old vines”, “vielle vignes”, “vinhas velhas”—what does it really all mean? We’ve been led to believe that older equals better when it comes to the age of a wine’s vines. “Old Vines” is not a legally controlled term though, and seeing it on the bottle guarantees neither the age of the grapevine nor the taste of the wine. Furthermore some winemakers think that not all varieties benefit from senior vines. There is some truth to the popular belief though—older grapevines have better established roots produce smaller yields, which can result in a more concentrated and characterful wine. Just take the truth with a pinch of salt—or perhaps a chip of oak.

Related Link: Wine myths: "Old vines" equals better wines