Volunteer researchers and leading wine importers fuel rapid expansion of global old-vine database
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /New York Netwire – National News/ — The Old Vine Registry, the world’s largest and most authoritative database of historic vine plantings, has entered the new year with 9,393 registered vineyards across 42 countries, reflecting a surge of new contributions over the past twelve months.
With the turn of the calendar year, vineyards planted in 1991 have now reached the 35-year threshold and are newly eligible for inclusion. Producers and growers are encouraged to submit qualifying vineyards at https://www.oldvineregistry.org/.
Much of the Registry’s recent growth has been driven by volunteer researchers and the direct contribution of vineyard data from leading wine importers, including Skurnik Wines, Becky Wasserman & Co., Winebow, and others. Their participation has significantly deepened coverage in several of Europe’s most historically important regions, including the Rhône Valley, Burgundy, and Bordeaux.
This growth has also been supported by the Heritage Vine Hunt Contest, an ongoing global initiative encouraging the public to identify and document historic vineyards worldwide, with participants eligible for prizes while contributing to the preservation of viticultural heritage.
The Registry’s expanding scope aligns closely with the OIV’s Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024, “OIV definition and recommendations about old grapevines and old vineyards in the vitivinicultural sector,” which explicitly encourages wine regions worldwide to catalogue and document their old vines.
“The Registry was built on the idea that preservation starts with visibility,” says wine writer Alder Yarrow, who manages the project day to day. “What’s been most encouraging is seeing how producers, importers, and volunteers have all stepped in to help make that visibility real.”
The Old Vine Registry will host its annual update webinar on 30 June at 17:00 BST / 09:00 PST, during which the yearly winners of the Heritage Vine Hunt contest will be announced alongside a new initiative. Registration details will be circulated one month prior to the event.
The Registry continues to welcome volunteer researchers and financial supporters interested in sustaining the non-profit initiative. Interested parties may contact oldvineregistry@gmail.com.
About the Old Vine Registry
The Old Vine Registry is the world’s largest public database cataloguing vineyards aged more than 35 years. Originally initiated by Jancis Robinson, the Registry launched publicly in 2024 as a crowd-sourced resource, supported by a founding donation from Jackson Family Wines and managed by Alder Yarrow of Vinography. The Registry operates under the aegis of The Old Vine Conference, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to establishing a credible global category for old-vine wines and communicating their cultural and viticultural value.
Conference info link: https://www.oldvines.org/
Learn More: https://www.oldvines.org/
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NEWS SOURCE: The Old Vine Conference. Story was sourced from a press release issued by Send2Press® and used with permission. View the original story at: https://www.send2press.com/wire/old-vine-registry-nears-9400-vineyards-as-1991-plantings-become-eligible/
