Old vine (French: vieilles vignes) is a term commonly used on wine labels to indicate that a wine is the produce of vines that are notably old. However, in France, the U.S., and most countries, it has no legal or even generally agreed upon definition. Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of grapes and grape juice. ... Motto: Official (Latin): E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Translated: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government  â€¢ President  â€¢ Vice President Federal...

The implication is that the vines are nearing the end of their productive lives, and average yields are dropping, leading to more concentrated, intense wines. Another factor impacting older vines might be diseases, such as dead arm. "Old vines" might apply to an entire estate, or it might mean only a certain parcel planted before others. In the U.S., the most common use is on zinfandel, because in California vineyards up to 125 years old are still bearing small amounts of prized zinfandel fruit. Zinfandel, also known as Zin, is a red-skinned wine grape popular in California for its intense fruitiness and lush texture. ...

In a place where wine production is longstanding, it often means a wine whose vines are thirty to forty years old. Some wine makers insist the wines should be older. In newly-established wine regions, twenty years might be old. The definition is further complicated by the fact that certain varieties simply do not have economically viable yields when they get truly ancient.

Because there is no objective definition, an "old vines" wine might or might not show any specific characteristics related to vine age. Generally, the more reputable the producer, the more likely it is to mean something. Similarly, if a producer sells a "regular" and "old vines" bottling, it is more likely to represent a perceptible difference in character, if not necessarily in quality. In these ways, "old vines" is similar to "reserve," a term that also varies dramatically in its signifigance and often has no legal definition. A reserve wine is intended to be one subject to special treatment during wine making, additional aging, and/or to be superior to the regular bottling of a wine. ...

See also

• Old clones - a related term indicating a vineyard, potentially even a newly planted one, that was planted with vine cuttings taken from older vineyards.