Spotlight on Old Vines

Old Vines

As we celebrate Old Vine Week (Monday 18^th to Sunday 24^th November) we take a closer look at world famous wineries who are leading the way in embracing the power and legacy of old vines and the remarkable wines they produce.

These guardians of treasured vineyards, including Hill Smith Family Estates, Torbreck and Yangarra from Australia, Miguel Torres from Chile and Warwick Estate from South Africa, have made it a priority to preserve cultural and agricultural heritage by utilising deep-rooted vines that have stood the test of time. Despite yielding fewer grapes, these ancient vines produce exceptional wines with unparalleled depth and expression of terroir.

Hill-Smith Family Estates

The Hill-Smith family has long been recognised for their efforts to preserve Australia’s winemaking heritage particularly with regard to historic old vine vineyards. In 2007, they solidified this commitment by establishing the Old Vine Charter, an initiative that aims to protect and promote the cultural and historical value of these precious vines.

At its core, is the Old Vine Charter which sets clear guidelines for what qualifies as an “old vine” in Australia. Today, it is a widely accepted classification system endorsed by Barossa Australia.

The focus of the Old Vine Charter is sustainability and preserving these cherished vines. Vines are classified based on their age ranging from Old Vines (35+ years) to Ancestor Vines (125+ years), which represent some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world.

As these vines age, they produce fewer grapes but yield exceptional fruit with greater complexity, richness and intensity of flavour. This is especially evident in three of Hill-Smith’s most prestigious old vine wines – Pewsey Vale Vineyard The Contours Riesling 2016, Yalumba The Tri-Centenary Grenache 2018, Yalumba The Steeple Shiraz 2018 – each of which epitomises the depth and complexity that can be achieved from ancient vines.

Yangarra

Yangarra’s 2022 Old Vine Grenache is another expressive reflection of South Australia’s ancient vine heritage. Planted in 1946 on “The Beach” in McLaren Vale’s Blewitt Springs region, these 75-year-old vines thrive on sandy dunes atop the North Maslin Sands formation that dates back 54 million years. The small, concentrated berries produce an elegant, but bold and spicy wine with perfumed notes of cloves, lavender, dark cherries, and raspberries.

Torbreck

Many Torbreck wines are also sourced the Barossa valley which is home to some of the oldest vines. With many vines exceeding 100 years of age, these ancient vines yield concentrated and flavoursome fruit that shines in their GSM blend.  Aged in older French oak barrels, this wine has lush red berry flavours and velvety tannins make it approachable now, but which give it the potential to age gracefully over many years.

Miguel Torres Chile

Miguel Torres’ VIGNO Carignan 2016 is another example of a wine that owes its notable character to the old vines from which it is sourced.

Made from 100% Carignan vines that were introduced to Chile in the late 1920’s and then revived by Miguel Torres in the 1980s, this once overlooked grape variety now a shining part of the VIGNO project and comes from the 60+ year old San José and Huerta de Maule vineyards. With a rich ruby colour and floral and fruity aromas enhanced by toasty oak, this wine boasts bold flavours of bay leaf, mint, and lingering fruit, balanced by a full-bodied profile. 

Warwick Estate

Certified by South Africa’s Old Vine Project (OVP), Warwick Estate’s 2022 Old Vine Chenin Blanc raises the bar for vine age standards with grapes from a vineyard planted in 1978. The lower slopes of Simonsberg nurture these old bush vines, resulting in a complex wine that showcases the terroir’s unique qualities. With notes of quince, yellow apple, and peach, this Chenin Blanc offers a crisp acidity and hints of lemongrass and stone fruits. The limited harvest from these prized vines exemplifies the power and quality of old vines in producing sophisticated and multi-layered flavours.

Whilst diverse in location, these leading wineries share a common respect for these remarkable old vines with a unified commitment to preserve their historical and cultural significance for generations to come.