Jason Millar reports from the seventh edition of the Old Vine Conference 2025, which took place in California across five days last week. The conference explored the wide-ranging value of old vines, which co-founder Sarah Abbott MW described as “wine’s greatest resource”.
Established as a non-profit in 2021, the Old Vine Conference partnered with the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) association to host the 2025 edition, titled The Meeting of the Minds. It brought together growers, educators, advocates, wineries, sommeliers, distributors and members of the press to discuss the future of old vines in California and worldwide.
“Old vines hold the story of wine,” said Abbott. “This global gathering shows the unifying impulse of the old-vine movement.” With over 400 in-person attendees and 300 virtual delegates, the conference marked the second physical conference, alongside previous virtual editions.
Held in Santa Rosa and Lodi, the two-day conference focused on the scientific, environmental and cultural importance of old vines – from biodiversity and climate resilience to flavour development and storytelling.
High-profile contributors included Jancis Robinson MW, whose early work cataloguing old vines led to the creation of the Old Vine Registry and Paul Draper, chairman emeritus of Ridge Vineyards, a pioneer of old-vine preservation in Sonoma County. Rosa Kruger, chair and founder of South Africa’s Old Vine Project, also contributed extensively.
“The exchange of knowledge and shared sense of purpose this week has been truly inspiring,” said Rebecca Robinson, executive director of ZAP.
A key focus was the formal recognition of old vines under the OIV’s definition, adopted in 2024, which classifies an old vine as at least 35 years old and an old-vine vineyard as one where at least 85% of vines meet that threshold.
Speakers debated how best to communicate old vine status to consumers. Many supported labelling schemes such as South Africa’s Certified Heritage Vineyard seal, developed by Kruger’s Old Vine Project and verified through SAWIS vineyard data.
For countries where planting data is less comprehensive, Dr Laura Catena and José Ignacio Gracia López, director of Spain’s Campo de Borja DO, presented new research from the four-year Garnachas Históricas project, which used morphological analysis to date old-vine Garnacha. The method, they argued, could be adapted to date other varieties.
Many speakers maintained that old vines offer wine a fresh narrative. “Young-vine Napa Cab starting at $300 a bottle isn’t working any more – people are waking up to that,” said Turley winemaker Tegan Passalacqua. “Old vines are a beautiful way to engage new consumers.”
Morgan Twain Peterson MW of Bedrock Wine Co agreed. “Soil types and barrels bore younger consumers, but people can connect with historical vines. They feel old-vine wines have resonance in a broader cultural context,” he said.
Retaining skilled vineyard labour was another major theme. “Sustainability starts with the people who touch and tend the vines,” said Kruger, who gave the closing address on the first day. “Seasonal and migrant labour is a problem. People who come, work and disappear are not part of the winning recipe for wine. Let’s extend our commitment to old vines by making a commitment to the people who spend the most time in the vineyards.”
Practical ways to add value to old vineyards also featured. Dr Stephanie Bolton of the Lodi Winegrowers Association highlighted initiatives such as vineyard ‘tech sheets’, which connect growers with wineries, and creative ways to monetise heritage sites to encourage farmers not to uproot old vineyards.
Speakers warned that urban expansion, commercial short-termism and varietal fashion threaten California’s remaining old vineyards.
“Old vines are precious,” Abbott noted, “but they need support through grower education and consumer awareness.”
“This landmark event has shown that collaboration across regions, countries and generations is key to securing the future of these precious vines,” concluded Belinda Stone, executive director of the Old Vine Conference. The 2025 conference marked a significant step in building the global coalition needed to protect old vine heritage worldwide.
Top photo shows a Sonoma County old vine, by Jason Millar
