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VoilaVoilaWashington t1_j4i4dj3 wrote

Reply to comment by katsiebee in Since almost all European vineyards graft on to American rootstock which is resistant to phylloxera, if one didn't do this, would there still by phylloxera around to constitute a threat anymore? by JimmyCrackCrack

> Grape vines do also have a production lifespan (production does start to drop off after a few decades)

Notably, old vines have fewer grapes, but the quality is higher. Young grapes actually need to have a lot of the fruit removed so that the plant puts more energy (sugar and flavour) into the remaining fruit. As it gets older, you do less of that and the plant keeps putting all that energy into a few grapes.

There are centuries-old vines still being used to produce grapes, but the quantity is tiny relative to even a 50 year old plant, which would be considered quite old.

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katsiebee t1_j4ia7uj wrote

That is totally correct, but the vineyard's business model will determine whether they are going for high quality or quantity. Some will have multiple labels so that they can cater to different price points.

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Kp1234321 t1_j4ivwoh wrote

As everything in the wine world, yes and no.

There are some grape varieties that get significantly better with vine age: Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, Carignan, Grenache.

There are also some grape varieties that don’t do well with vine age: chardonnay, Pinot noir, riesling.

Sure, you’ll see Vielle Vigne on some stuff from Burgundy, but that is for 30-50 year old vines at best. That’s barely adolescent passes for Grenache or Zin.

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