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International Organisation of Vine & Wine unveils benchmark definition of 'old grapevine'

At the OIV's 22nd General Assembly, delegates adopted Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024: OIV definition and recommendations about old grapevines and old vineyards in the vitivinicultural sector.

According to the OIV: “This important achievement was the result of an extended discussion among the OIV Experts of the Commission Viticulture and was based on a specific official consultation among the OIV member States.”

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Two standard definitions were created. Firstly, an old grapevine must be “a single plant officially documented to be 35 years or older regardless of any other factors”.

In the case of grafted plants, “the graft connection between rootstock and scion should have been undisturbed for at least 35 years”.

Meanwhile, an old vineyard is regarded as “a block of vineyard terrain, continuous and legally delimited, where at least 85% of the grapevines respond to the previous definition”.

Sarah Abbott MW, co-founder of The Old Vine Conference, commented: “This is a milestone for the old vine movement globally. In Europe the EU commission is required to consider OIV recommendations when developing new rules so this could be truly impactful in future regulations and uprooting programs there. We would like to thank our members and supporters for their patronage, advocacy and solidarity in the shared mission that has collectively contributed to this consequential announcement.”

The Old Vine Conference continues its old vine program next week with its second Old Vine Wine Week running from 18 – 24 November.

It will also be hosting The Old Vine Conference 2025, taking place in California.