What does it mean when it says “Old Vines” on a wine label?
When you see the words “Old Vines” on a wine label it typically means that the wine you’re about to drink has been made from grapes produced from vines that are at least 35-50 years old. Not to say that there aren’t older vines, some vines planted in the early 1800’s are still producing grapes today! The term “Old Vines” is not regulated by the government meaning that a producer is free to use the term regardless of how old their vines are. It seems though that producers are diligent in keeping faithful to the term by limiting their usage to those wines made from grape vines not younger than 35-40 years. Are wines produced from these “Old Vines” better? For the most part, yes! I say for the most part because ultimately the fate of a great wine lies in the hands of both knowledge and practice of good grape growing as well as winemaking techniques. Wines made from old vines are fundamentally better than those made from young vines…or younger vines I sho