Sarah Abbott, co-founder of the Old Vine Conference, led a unique presentation of wines from old vines at the London Wine Fair 2024.
Old Vine Conference is a London based non-profit dedicated to the promotion of wines made from vines with decades of history behind them.
This is hopefully a good thing in many ways. First of all, of course, old vines usually make harmonious, complex wines with great aging potential.
Also, it is environmentally useful to maintain the genetic diversity of vines, and maintaining old vines reduces the chance that some varieties might get lost forever.
So what is "old"? for the OVC a vine is "old" when it is at least 35 years old, a rule apparently developed in Barossa, in Australia.
Here are my tasting notes:
1. Villa Bogdano 185 bianco, Veneto Italy, 2018
81yo vines of friulano
This vineyard was originally planted in 1943, and it is now farmed according to EU organic rules (bio).
Moderately intense and still good freshness. Good complexity and length.
Rrp £ 23, score 89
2. Garage wine sauzal lot 95, Maule valley Chile 2018,
No recorded age, monastrell
Origins shrouded in mystery but these vines were were already old when Nivaldo the owner was a child and HE is now old...
Ripe cherries, good balance, complex, delicate, fragile, not concentrated as expected, mature now, don't wait any longer.
Rrp £ 19, score 88
3. Plaimont Manseng Noir, côtes de Gascogne
Manseng noir variety, young vines re-planted from old vines material.
Vibrant light perfumed wine, floral notes, delicate tannins, might be best enjoyed cool.
Rrp £12 score 87
4. Marchelle Wines Cinsaut, Bechtold Winery, Mokelumne River, California, USA 2020
Vines are a whopping 138-year-old!
Intense, elegant, perfect balance, complex, ready now with some aging potential.
Only 77 cases made grab one fast!
Rrp usd 54, score 92
5. Louis Martini, Gnarly vine, Monte Rosso Sonoma valley, 2018
100% Zinfandel
Like the previous wine, this also comes from a 138yo vineyard.
Intense ripe cherries, elegant, complex, perfect balance, long. An exceptional, harmonious wine.
Ready now could yet evolve some in bottle.
Rrp £ 61 score 96
6. Once and future, Teldeschi vineyard "Frank's Block" in Creek Valley, Sonoma, 2019
Zinfandel
120yo vines for this fruity, balanced very long wine. Ready now but tannins could perhaps become a bit rounder with a couple of years in the bottle.
Rrp usd 50, score 89
7. Catena Zapata Malbec, m mendoza, Argentina
Vines 94yo and 28 yo
Plump mature red fruit and also complex long
Rrp £75 score 92
8. Feudi di San Gregorio, Serpico, aglianico, Campania Italy 2016
Vines 100+ yo ungrafted
Fruit, alcohol, tannins still very much alive. Hopefully time in the bottle will help harmonize this wine.
Rrp £60,score 86
Join the Old Vine Conference if you agree old vines often make great wines!
