However, the average age of vines can vary widely from one region to the next, so thresholds for old vine status will vary too. But there is no consistent worldwide definition for what age a vine has to reach for it to become old.īlatant misuse of the term is rare. Several countries or winegrowing regions have programs in place to identify, register, classify and protect old vineyards. Many of these wines, such as Cheval Blanc, relied on vines planted after the severe 1956 frosts. The most famous example is the legendary 1961 Bordeaux vintage. No legal definitions are in place to govern use of the term.Īnd great wines can be made from young vines. For marketers the vines' venerability is a useful attribute to communicate. This ties in with many wine producers views that terroir expression increases with vine age (more on this later). The feeling that an old vine carries a greater sense of place might be understood on varying levels. Most enthusiasts will have some idea that lower-yielding old vines put the energy into a lower number of berries, and so quality increases. But most will have at best a hazy idea of why this is so. The term "old vines" – or Alte Reben (German), Vieilles Vignes (French), Viñas Viejas (Spanish) and Vinhas Velhas (Portuguese) – appears on many wine labels.Ĭonsumers will generally register this as a sign of quality.