Our first topic tackles the concept of Old Vines. We hope you enjoy, and as always, your feedback is welcome!
The Root Cause | Old Vines in South Africa
‘Old Vines’. If you haven’t heard this term yet, prepare to start hearing it more and more as the conservational concept burgeons in popularity across South African wineries. To bring you up to speed, an Old Vine Wine qualifies for this auspicious title if the wine is from a vineyard that is 35 years or older. The reason these older vineyards are worthy of preservation is due to their established root systems, which requires far less irrigation (a massive benefit in our drought-ridden Winelands) and produce fruit that has great structure, concentrated flavours and beautifully developed aromas. Put simply, old vines make fantastic wines and honour our viticultural heritage.
While not new to the world of wine, the concept of ‘Old Vines’ is relatively new to the local wine industry, having grown to prominence thanks to the efforts of respected viticulturist Rosa Kruger and project manager André Morgenthal, who created the Old Vine Project (OVP).
While Rosa worked on the project for almost two decades, the Old Vine Project formally launched in 2016, with seed funding from the Rupert Foundation, and the mandate to save and preserve South African vineyards. Importantly, in 2018, the Certified Heritage Vineyard seal was created, a seal which certifies that the wine is made from vineyards of vines of 35 years and older. The seal is creating a new old vine marketing category and causing a welcome wave of interest from wine producers and drinkers alike.
At Bellingham, we are proud to share that our Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2007 was one of the first wines to refer to Old Vines primarily on the front label. This was well before the now established seal, and exemplifies Bellingham’s keen interest for innovation and celebrates what our brand has become famous for.
With the festive season here, we are celebrating Old Vines and our most food-friendly Chenin Blanc wine with a special Bellingham Old Vine Chenin Blanc 3 Pack.
Available for R709.00 per 3 pack case: Shop now