Some old vine images: a few of my photographs of the crusty old sea dogs of the wine world

Old vines are amazing, and they are often very beautiful, in a rugged, twisted sort of way. And the Old Vine Conference has just launched a photography competition, so with a mind to entering, I looked up some of my pictures of old vines. I have a lot, but here are a few I pulled out. And there’s an article I wrote a while ago about the science of old vines.

These are 200 year old Pais vines at Gonzalez Bastias in Maule, Chile
One of the many old vineyards in Rioja
Ramiro Ibanez with an old vine in Sanlucar
Lopez in Cucamonga, California. Centenarian vines, mostly Zinfandel, just spreading on the ground
Old vine in the Languedoc
Old vine, Rioja
Bush vine Pinotage, Stellenbosch
70s vineyard from Hickinbotham, McLaren Vale
Jackass Hill, Martinelli. Ancient Zinfandel on a steep slope
Old Pais, Itata, Chile
Maury, Roussillon
The oldest block of Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero: 22 varieties, centenarian vines
Old vines, Portalegre, Alentejo