The Sunday Times

JOANNA SIMON comments on the wisdom, or otherwise, of including the term 'old vines' on wine labels. 'Unless you are in the know, the term probably has about the same level of appeal as old socks'. Conversely, she points out that 'growers are right to draw attention to the age of their vineyards, because vines produce grapes of increasingly fine quality the older they get.' She recommends three good-value, old-vine red wines from Spain, including 2003 Casa de las Ermita Monastrell, Jumilla (6.69; Oddbins).