Old Vine

What counts as old

There is no hard and fast definition. In Bordeaux and Burgundy, a 30-year-old vine is often considered old, while in Spain and Italy, where vines can live for over a century, the bar is higher. The UK, as a young industry, has very few plantings that would qualify as old by any standard. The oldest commercial vineyards date from the 1950s and 1960s, and most are well under 50 years old.

For marketing purposes, English producers sometimes describe 20-year-old vines as old vines, even though that would be considered young in most of Europe. The label is used to signal a more concentrated, more characterful wine, often bottled as a single-vineyard or limited release.

Why old vines matter

As a vine ages, its root system goes deeper and wider, drawing water and nutrients from a larger volume of soil. The vine is also more in balance with its environment, having weathered many seasons of drought, frost and disease. The result is a more stable, more consistent vine that produces fewer but more concentrated bunches.

The wines from old vines tend to have more depth, more complexity and a stronger sense of place. They are often more expensive because the yields are lower and the vines are more valuable, but for premium cuvées the quality difference is real.

Old vines in the UK

The UK's oldest commercial vineyards include Hambledon (planted in 1952 by Jack Ward), Breaky Bottom (planted in 1974 by John Cardoen), Nyetimber (planted in 1988 by Stuart Moss and Andy Howard) and a handful of other early sites. Some of these vines are still in production, although many have been replanted or grafted over the years.

The grape that survives best in the UK is often Müller-Thurgau, which seems to cope well with the cool, damp conditions. Seyval Blanc also has good longevity. The Vinifera varieties, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are more vulnerable to trunk diseases and tend to need replanting after 25 to 30 years, although some are still going strong after 40.

Wines from old vines

Several English producers bottle a separate old-vine cuvée. The most famous is probably the Hambledon Vineyard First Release, made from the original 1952 plantings. Breaky Bottom makes a small quantity of wines from its oldest blocks. Nyetimber, while not labelling its wines by vine age, uses fruit from the original 1988 plantings in its core cuvée. As the UK industry matures, more producers will be able to bottle an old-vine wine, and the category will grow.

For the consumer, the practical advice is to look for the term vieilles vignes, old vine, or a specific vintage on the label, often combined with a single-vineyard designation. These wines are usually limited in quantity, more expensive, and worth the effort to find.