Old Vine Project
Old vines are a phenomenon that has captured the attention of the global wine world. Wines that are made from old vines are a tribute to the grower's love of his or her land. They exist because of the people who touched and tended them over many years. In South Africa, producers can certify old vine vineyards and wines with the Old Vine Project (OVP).
South Africa has the advantage that our vineyard plant dates can be verified by the South African Wine Industry Information Systems (SAWIS) back to 1900. This extraordinary database has been instrumental in the existence of the OVP and its guarantee of traceability.
Members of the OVP apply for the Certified Heritage Vineyards seal for wine made from vineyards of 35 years or older, together with the planting date. This is a guarantee to the consumer of authentic wines made according to the OVP viticultural and winemaking guidelines.
The journey to document South Africa’s old vines was started in 2002 by vineyard manager, Rosa Kruger. The OVP was formalised in 2016 with seed funding from the Rupert Foundation. Today, with traction gained and awareness spreading, more wines are being launched to augment the OVP's footprint.
