The longevity of the vineyard is one of the factors that determine how grapes will be harvested and the wine made from them. Wine is a perishable product in constant rotation. As they are ready for consumption, the new vintages take over from the older ones on the shelves of stores and supermarkets, in a routine movement only altered by the appearance of new labels that also try to open a gap in the market.
With increasing frequency, some of these new references accompany the brand with slogans such as “old vines”, with the clear intention of providing some added value to the product they represent.
But... what characterizes wine from old vines?
There are many differences between a new vine and an old one, but let's simplify the most relevant characteristics.
An old vine is considered when the age of the plant is greater than 30 years old.
The old vine has adapted perfectly to the soil, climate, and pruning over the years. Therefore, it has been balanced with the type of cultivation and can give the best of itself.
It has many roots and these are quite deep, which allows it to survive better in the absence or excess of water. In addition, a bulb is created in the root where the vine stores reserves of starch and other substances that the vine uses during the vegetative cycle, essential to complete the grape's oenological maturity.
The trunk of the vine has a lot of wood, so it has a greater reserve, giving the grape a higher quality.
In general, younger vines tend to produce large clusters of grapes, which certainly isn’t a bad thing but can impact the intensity of the fruit’s flavor. Old vines, on the other hand, tend to produce far smaller clusters of grapes.
Young Vines Old Vines
So, is old vine wine better?
From the answer to the previous question, it can be understood that old vines have perfected pruning over the years, offering fewer and smaller bunches and higher-quality grapes that tend to be more concentrated in flavor. So, wines made from the old vines usually have a more complex character.
Like all good, rare, and special things, wines made from old vines could be more expensive and cost up to 3 times more than a wine made from younger vines. Nevertheless, at Goba Wine we believe that it is important to savor from time to time, a glass of an elixir that comes from strains, with at least, more than 30 years of history.
GOBA Wine's Special Proposal
From Goba Wine, we want to make you our best proposal of wines made from old vines grown in Ribera del Duero. So we have selected for you a small wish list that you definitely cannot miss!
Asenjo Manso Winery
A&M 2012 or well-named “Wisdom grandfather”. It is a signature wine that is only been produced in years in which nature turns excellent and comes from Tempranillo vines with more than 80 years old.
Acón Winery
Acón Selección. This is their most demanding wine, where the combination of fruit and wood is particularly complex. Made exclusively with Tempranillo from vines over 70 years old.
Ferratus Winery
Ferratus Origen. This is the winery’s icon wine and due to its aging in barrel and bottle, it can be considered a very modern, fruity, and lively “reserva”, but with structure and strength. Made exclusively with Tempranillo from vines over 60 years old.
Hemar
Llanum. It is the soil that makes it unique. Planted on a rocky soil, which makes the old vines even more special. Made exclusively with Tempranillo from a single terroir ‘’Pago de Llano’’.
Lopez Cristóbal Winery
Bagús. An attractive, rich, and well-balanced wine, with intense concentration and fleshiness. A full-body wine with a complex aftertaste and lingering. Made exclusively with 85-year-old Tempranillo vineyards.
