Vines are the grapevine plants (genus Vitis, chiefly Vitis vinifera for fine wine) that produce wine grapes. Their age, health, density, training and yield shape grape quality: old vines yield less but more concentrated fruit, while young or over-cropped vines give dilute wine. Vines are typically grafted onto pest-resistant rootstock and take a few years to bear quality fruit, with decades to reach their prime.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR COLLECTORS
Old vines ('vieilles vignes') are prized for concentration and balance, though the term is unregulated. Vine age, yield and health quietly underpin a wine's depth — part of why low-yield, old-vine bottlings command premiums.
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