You have probably seen that on some bottles it is stated that the wine is made from grapes that come from old vines. Depending on where the wine is produced, it says for example Vieilles Vignes, Old Vine, Vecchie Vignes or Alte Reben, but how old are the old vines and does it matter?

Does it matter?

Those who advocate wine from old vines, which I agree with, believe that the older the vine is, the smaller the harvest it gives and thus the grapes become more concentrated and produce a more concentrated wine in terms of body, aromas, etc. Compare this to the “green harvest” that is often carried out where grape clusters are cut away to increase the concentration in the remaining grapes. In addition, the roots of the vine will find their way deeper into the ground, unless the vine is spoiled with too much irrigation, and thus absorb more and more minerals and nutrients that provide increased complexity. This mineral uptake is a hotly debated area, but it is also part of the French concept of terroir. In any case, a deeper root system makes the vine more drought-resistant.

The picture shows an old vine from Château Simone in Provence, where the vines have an average age of more than 50 years and some parcelles are more than 110 years old!

Is there an optimal age?

So, what is the optimal age for the vine? It depends on what kind of wine the producer wants to make and economic considerations, i.e. a commercial question of volume versus quality. After perhaps 25 years, the vine yields less, so maybe it is time to replant the vineyard? At the same time, it takes about five years before the new vines start to produce a good harvest and quality.

Now it is 35 years!

Now the question of how old an old vine is, is settled. The International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV, www.oiv.int/index.php/node/3806) has come up with a definition. An old vine must now be at least 35 years old and for a vineyard to be considered “old” at least 85% of the vines must be at least 35 years old.

The OIV sets out several criteria for evaluating whether the vine and vineyard are “old”. This seems like a rather complex task if there is no detailed documentation!

Update 2025-06-27:
The French INAO (Institut National d’Origine et de Qualité) recognized on June 12 the OIV resolution on the definition of old vines and vineyards and will soon include it in its regulations so that it becomes a national law.

Source: OIV, Vitisphere

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Provence expert Göran Boman, Author of the books ” Provence – Vita, röda och även roséviner” and “The Wines of Provence – Tricolour”. Easiest to buy is via sending an e-mail to me: provencebook@gmboman.se