▻ Old Vine Vineyards

Let's Talk About

17 May

Written By Sarah Kemp

▴ Andrew Caillard MW, at the heart of the Australian wine scene for over 40 years.

In conversation with Sarah Abbott MW

Episode Summary:-

In this episode, John Stimpfig talks to Sarah Abbott, one of the founders of the Old Vine Conference, a non-profit organization that promotes the safeguarding of old vines. She explains why old vines are important, and how she and fellow founders Alun Griffiths MW and Leo Austin are on a mission to inspire the world to nurture and value great old vines and the wines they make. Sarah relates how she became involved with the Old Vine Conference, and why it is difficult to market these sorts of wines when consumers do not know much about old-vine vineyards, and consequently, they are not sufficiently valued. The organization’s aim is to create a global movement for a recognized category for old-vine wine, and thereby raise their value.

Sarah discusses how old-vine vineyards require more input, as they require tending by hand. They also require localised skills as they were planted at a time where the expertise of individual farmers was highly important. Old-vine vineyards are also important for vino-diversity, as approximately 20 grape varieties account for roughly 80% of the wine consumed today. Sarah talks about old vines in South Africa, Lodi in California and Barossa in Australia; all three of those places have organizations actively promoting the protection of old-vine vineyards. Furthermore, she notes, Spain is full of old-vine vineyards, as are Alentejo in Portugal, and Italy, where “it’s so rich, but nobody really knows what is going on.”

Sarah explains that old-vine vineyards give “a heightened expression of terroir,” and she and John discuss how ancient varieties planted by the Armenians and Greeks are being rediscovered in Turkey. The Lebanon, Georgia, Languedoc, Roussillon and Moldova are other places where old-vine vineyards are being rediscovered.

John asks what the age limit is to be called an “old-vine vineyard.” Sarah responds that it depends on the context, but as a rule, the minimum age is around 35 years. Sarah and John discuss the concept that the thicker trunks and deeper roots of the old vines enable them to absorb more mineral salts, which gives more complexity and extract, balance and vigour, although she does caution that just because a wine comes from an old-vine vineyard it doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it is good. Records are the main sources for knowing where the old vineyards are.

Sarah explains how wine lovers can become involved, with membership costing only £20 for two years. The organisation is also looking for volunteers of all sorts to “come and work in the big wine tent,” along with Vintner Ambassadors from around the world (including The Wine Conversation‘s Jane Anson). The next Old Vine Conference takes place at the end of June, and 67 Pall Mall in London will be hosting a tasting to help raise money for the organization’s projects.

““There are very few drinks that come from a perennial plant that lives potentially longer than we do.” ”

— Sarah Abbott MW

Running Order:-

0.00 – 18.25
“The thing I love about wine is this living delicious thread of humanity.”

Sarah Abbott discusses how many old-vine vineyards have been lost around the world, and how she became a founder of The Old Vine Conference with Alun Griffiths MW and Leo Austin when they approached her to promote a range of old vines. Sarah explained how difficult it was to market old- vine wines, as the market had a disconnect and only wine geeks had any idea about them. Currently, there is not a recognized global old-vine category, and as consumers are unaware of how different old vineyards are and their value hasn’t been explained, there is no premium for the wines. This was when the Old Vine Conference came into being: a non-profit organization whose aim is to galvanize a global movement to nurture and value great old vines, and their wines.

Old-vine vineyards require more input, as they need to be tended by hand; they also require localised skills, which are linked to the tradition and heritage of the region. Sadly, many of the funding schemes today to regenerate local communities only support replanting of vineyards, not nurturing what is already there.
18.25 – 30.42
“It’s a bit of a fallacy that having really old vines automatically means you have to put up with uneconomic yields – it’s not true.”

Sarah discusses the many places where you can still find old-vine vineyards. She singles out South Africa, Lodi In California and Australia’s Barossa Valley as places where there are brilliant campaigns and collectives already promoting old-vine wines. She also points out that Spain is incredibly rich in old-vine vineyards, especially in La Mancha and Aragon. She also cites Alentejo in Portugal, and Italy, though she comments, wryly, “Italy is so rich, but nobody really knows what is going on.” One producer she recommends from Italy is Gini in Soave, who are producing a 100% Garganega from vines that are a hundred years old. John and Sarah discuss the many countries and regions where old-vine vineyards can be found (Languedoc, Roussillon Turkey, Lebanon, Georgia, and Moldova, to name a few) and the various schemes, such as “Adopt a Vine,” which aim to support them.
30.55 – 51.01
“Heritage vineyards are really the perfect expression of all the most aspirational ideas about wine that we have”

John asks how old the vines have to be to be officially old vines. Sarah says it is a matter of context, but as a rule 35 years is the minimum average age. The Old Vine Conference is working with Jancis Robinson MW who is keeping a database of the vineyards on her site. They discuss the work of South Africa’s Rosa Kruger, who has championed old-vine vineyards since 2002, and believes that when you have old vines you have thicker trunks and deeper roots, which enables plants to absorb more mineral salts, which leads to more complexity and extract, more balance and vigour.

Most of the knowledge of where the old-vine vineyards’ locations are comes from records; in South Africa there are good records due to the former government monopoly, in Australia they have been kept by families of vintners, and France has many ancient records. Sarah encourages people to get involved either by becoming a member (£20 for two years) or volunteering a couple of hours a month. The next Old Vine Conference is planned for the end of June and she invites Wine Conversation listeners to “come inside the big wine tent” for a very worthy cause, whatever their contribution may be. It’s not about sentimentality, she says, but quality.