South Africa's old vine project taking off

A new project designed to protect, promote and certify old South African vines is attracting more attention, and now has eight wineries eight wineries signed up to it.  

The Old Vine Project (OVP) started fifteen years ago when winemaker Rosa Kruger began looking for old vines. Word spread and producers such as Eben Sadie launched what was at the time South Africa’s oldest Chenin Blanc from a vineyard in Stellenbosch.  

The OVP’s main aim is to find old vines that are at least 35 years old, and then if they are good enough to produce wine, have them certified. This certification will be available from the 2017 vintage.

The project’s communications manager Andre Morgenthal said that the point of the project was not that the old vines are better, just different, in that the wines they produce are unique and have a complexity and terroir focus that was hard to replicate in younger vines.   The OVP is also urging grape growers to “plant to get old”, ensuring they see the benefits of old vines, and take care to maintain old blocks rather than grubbing everything up every few years in pursuit of higher yields.  

Small wine producers in South Africa with old vines often run into problems when the cost of running an old vineyards compared to the yield is just not commercially viable, and this is an issue that the OVP wants to address.  

On average, a hectare of old vines cost around ZAR45,000 to work for an average yield of three tons, according to Morgenthal. However, to be financially viable, growers need around ZAR 15,000 a ton, but in reality they receive closer to ZAR 4,000 a ton which is resulting in many old vines being dug up because the expense of maintaining them is too high, and other industries such as farming or forestry are more lucrative.  

Promoting good viticultural practices and introducing growers to buyers for the grapes they produce at fair prices was the key to stopping more viable vineyards being uprooted, according to Morgenthal.

It is estimated that there are around 2,640 hectares j of vineyards in South Africa that are older than 35 years, which represents around 1% of plantings. Around 1,300 ha are Chenin Blanc, though there are 38 varieties including Cinsault, Grenache, Semillion and others amongst the older vines.