Old vine plants

Neither German nor international wine law - as far as we have been able to read - has a clear definition of what an old vine plant is. Strictly speaking, the term has no meaning in terms of wine law. Vine plants that are over 120 years old are said to grow on the Moselle.

According to the ‘Guinness Book of Records’ and, of course, the firm opinion of local travel guides, the oldest vine in the world is a specimen from Maribor in Slovenia, called ‘Stara trta’. It is said to be over 450 years old and therefore already existed in the time of Shakespeare. The vine is even productive: a small quantity of grapes is harvested from it every year.

Apart from this, however, most old vines in Germany are between 30 and 50 years old. With increasing age, the yields of vines decrease. The vine grows only minimally and produces fewer leaves and fruit. The vines have grown deep into the soil through their many years of existence, which gives them a better nutrient supply and greater resistance to external influences. The vines can root up to 20 metres deep. In this way, they can draw minerals and nutrients from lower layers that younger vines cannot yet reach. As a result of the reduced yield, experience shows that grapes from old vines are smaller and have a thicker skin. This leads to a higher intensity of flavours and a better structure of the wine. This is why some winegrowers on the Saale and Unstrut rivers nurture and cherish their old vines. The discerning wine connoisseur will therefore find this origin of the wine on the label. A real sign of quality.