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By Cathy HuygheView the original article on Forbes “Thick with emotion.” Do you know this phrase? That’s how my voice feels when I’m talking about certain wines from South Africa, especially those made from old vines that have been rooted in the earth longer than most of us have been alive. Why such a visceral reaction? Partly it’s my affinity for the narratives of wine, anywhere in the world. Partly it’s my personal history of time spent on the continent, from Kenya and T

The wonder of Cape Wine 2018 and The Old Vine Project has journeyed to WANDS magazine, "The International Wine & Spirits Magazine For The Trade In Japan.", in their December 2018 publication. The eyes of the wine world were focussed on South Africa during the triennial CapeWine, hosted at the CTICC from 12 -14 September 2018. A total of 2 414 international and local guests registered their attendance to experience wines from 352 producers. “Hannuwa”, the overall theme of t

The Business of Wine course, presented by The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB), is a one-of-kind training programme that focusses on the business aspects of wine. It brings together various professionals across the wine value chain and gives delegates critical market insights and the leadership skills to maximise their own and their organisations’ opportunities in the industry. The Old Vine Project and UCT GSB are closely related due to project

Munskänkarna, one of the worlds largest wine tasting groups, spent a couple of days exploring the wine regions of South Africa. Amongst excursions to Swartland and Cape Point, the group visited the picturesque town of Stellenbosch. Munskänkarna wine tasting group at De Volkskombuis, Stellenbosch The Old Vine Project presented a wine tasting at the historical De Volkskombuis. The building was originally designed as labourers’ cottages by Sir Herbert Baker in 1902. The pro

Ancient New World vineyards from South Africa to Australia and the United States are undergoing a renaissance, with winemakers young and old finding a renewed interest in their crooked arms, vibrant aromatics, and expansive roots. Wines to Savor from the New World's Oldest Grapevines A biodiversity hotspot with more plant species than a tropical rainforest, the Cape Floral Region surrounding Cape Town in South Africa is home to a hypnotic array of biological history, includin

By Richard Siddle 10 November 2018 How SA's Old Vine Project is saving lost vines of the future South Africa might, in comparison to other wine producing countries, be a relatively newcomer on the international wine market, but it has vines that date back decades. But they are in ever decreasing numbers as they are have been systematically ripped out over the years to be replaced by new vines as producers and the major co-ops look to keep ahead of world demand by planting mor

In recognition of the vital importance our heritage vineyards and their unique wines play in the South African viticultural landscape, the Platter’s Wine Guide has added the CHV icon in the recently launched 2019 edition. This will clearly highlight to local and international wine lovers which wines are certified by the OVP, by adding the icon next to each Certified Heritage Vineyards wine.

Two research groups at Stellenbosch University have combined forces to obtain an overview of the sensory and chemical profiles of old-vine Chenin blanc wines. At the Institute for Wine Biotechnology, Department of Viticulture and Oenology, the focus is on the sensory characterisation of the genre, with specific emphasis on aroma and mouth-feel attributes. The research team (Valeria Panzeri, MSc-graduate Renée Crous, and Hélène Nieuwoudt) found that the distinguishing feature

To view the entire publication, with Tim Atkin report starting on page28, click here. Here are the pages for Issue no 20 of Cheek2Chic luxury magazine with Tim Atkin interview with Juliet Cullinan, on his recent South African Special Report.

The Old Vine Project presented a tasting for Victoria Moore, wine columnist and journalist for The Telegraph and a wine club that she tutors at the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the old London merchant guilds – a group of serious wine enthusiasts who are more familiar with Bordeaux and Burgundy than our wines. Twenty one of the OVP members showcased their wines at the beautiful Boekenhoutskloof tasting room in Franschhoek.

Chatting now with Jaco from Piekenierskloof Wines now all about #Piekeniers Grenache etc, and then with André from Old Vine Projectabout #OldVines. Audaciously Sels joining in the fun! #SAwineshowcase? https://www.facebook.com/SAwineshowcase/videos/352543108854614/?hc_ref=ARQhSdlvU7Vv1zwyxOd0zHZGlf110vlFDnbRB9o4n4eeHvm1kgqI-RFzCCOD5STsgWY&amp;__xts__<0>=68.ARD_o0QRqAMSkK5XqgC5f6CoHl6Rw6rl1MTUSdzbOES4ze6RVyqPU7IdzRndxET87g3r90EtIn4mIv37PtDg1TT0Y5d5XObLuu7ChC30HbQkzhHnKNM1nit2x

The Business of Wine and Food Tourism conference was held at Spier on 17 October and the members of the Old Vine Project was able to showcase their wines to 170 industry professionals. Photos by: EJ Langer W

It’s all good and well to aspire to preventing 35-year and older vineyards from being replaced with young vines or citrus, but is the crucial point of decision not from when the vines are 20 to 30 years old? It is also true that old vineyards can be revived from near deceased to viable, showroom condition, but yields decline and the grower needs to decide what to do in order to make each hectare work to be financially viable. This is the reality. It’s encouraging then to hea

Kom luister gerus na die RSG Landbou onderhoud met Andrè Morgenthal oor die Ou Wingerd Projek.

Old Pinotage vines’ berries ripen later compared to younger vines. So, what does this mean? Research to investigate possible genetic influences to improved wine quality in old Pinotage vines has been conducted by Professor Johan Burger at Stellenbosch University. His team compared both gene expression levels and total microbiomes in old (53 years) and young (7 years) Pinotage vines inter-planted in the same commercial vineyard. Juice from berries of nine old and nine young

Over the past five years since the first International Pinotage Day, interest in and excitement around the occasion has grown immensely. Every year, the second Saturday in October is always a highlight on the calendar as wine lovers celebrate South Africa’s national variety. Wine enthusiasts all over the globe have embraced the celebration of South Africa’s national wine and this year's Pinotage Day celebrations promise to be extraordinary, entertaining and with a more Inter

It has been a very success collaboration between the Old Vine Project and Meerendal at this year's Nederburg Auction. The Meerendal Heritage Block Pinotage 2010, planted in 1955 sold for R1000 per bottle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avPS6E0-Nk Photos from the day: Meerendal Heritage Block, planted in 1955.

View original post on TopWineSA.com here THE OLD VINE PROJECT has on record 10 vineyards in South Africa that are older than 100 years, however, with the odd exception, their locations, the names of the property owners and the wines made from them (if any) are strictly confidential. No doubt these are precious plants. Perish the thought that they might go up in smoke or be dug up to make way for vegetables, say! It’s about the preservation of old vines and caring for young

What’s so unique about wines made from old vines? Managing Editor Lauren Buzzeo discusses the Old Vine Project and what some say are the best wines South Africa has to offer, on this #WEPodcast.

Pioneering, old-vine category pricing research in the retail sector, undertaken in collaboration between Winetech, The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) and Stellenbosch University (US) has revealed some exciting results. Co-authors Jonathan Steyn and Associate Professor David Priilaid constructed a hedonic pricing model to answer the question of: whether, to what extent and how wine price-setters in the supply chain prioritise old vine cues, relat