As one of South Australia’s earliest vintages concludes in the Barossa Valley, vineyard workers are preparing for a harvest unlike any other, with grapes plucked from some of the oldest vines in the world.
Marco Cirillo, the owner of one such vineyard, reflected on the unique significance of this harvest. “It’s both exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking at the same time,” Cirillo said. His vines, believed to have been planted in 1848, are among the world’s oldest continuously producing grenache vineyards.
“We’re looking at the longest continuously producing grenache vineyard in the world, which makes it incredibly important,” Cirillo added. “If this were in the Old World, they’d be celebrating it from the rooftops. But here, we do.”
The ancient vines, thick and twisted with age, continue to produce fruit after generations of careful cultivation. These vines, some of which have been producing for over 175 years, stand as a testament to the resilience of the Barossa Valley’s winemaking heritage.
Australia’s Oldest Vines Survive Despite Global Challenges
Despite being labeled a “new-world” wine region, Australia is home to some of the oldest commercial vineyards in the world. Cirillo points to the country’s fortunate avoidance of world wars and the phylloxera crisis, which decimated European vineyards in the 19th century, as key reasons for the survival of these venerable vines.
Phylloxera, a tiny root-eating insect, wiped out many vineyards across Europe, but Australia was spared, allowing its vines to thrive. Cirillo emphasizes the role of care and preservation in maintaining these ancient vines, which, at times, require careful pruning and even manual weaving to prevent their fragile structures from collapsing under their own weight.
“We have trunks that are up to 20 centimeters thick, but only the veins the size of a finger are still alive inside,” Cirillo explained. “The rest of it is dead wood, making these vines quite frail.”
Preserving Ancestor Vines: A History Nearly Lost
The Barossa Valley is home to 150 hectares of vines more than a century old, with an additional 80 hectares believed to be even older. These “ancestor vines,” dating back more than 125 years, represent a rich part of Australia’s winemaking legacy.
Among them is a standout vineyard at Turkey Flat, owned by Christie Schulz’s family for five generations. These vines, planted between 1843 and 1847, are considered some of the oldest commercial shiraz vineyards in the world.
However, in the 1980s, these vines nearly faced destruction when the state government introduced a vine pull scheme aimed at removing unproductive vineyards. Despite the tempting financial offer, Schulz resisted, recognizing the importance of preserving the vineyard’s historical value.
“It was a difficult time for the wine industry. There just wasn’t a market for the grapes,” Schulz said. “But I saw the potential of this incredible history, and we decided it was worth the risk to keep the vines.”
Though the vines are fragile and un-irrigated, they have withstood numerous challenges, including droughts that many other plants would not have survived.
Scientific Interest in Barossa’s Old Vines
The survival of these ancient vines has piqued the interest of scientists like Anthony Borneman, who has taken DNA samples from 50 vineyards planted before 1900. Borneman’s research aims to uncover the hidden genetic history of these vines and explore how they were passed down through generations.
“We can use genetic relationships to trace how these vines spread across the country and uncover their genetic connections,” Borneman said. “This research could help preserve the genetics of these robust plants, potentially cloning them for future generations.”
The study, conducted by The Australian Wine Research Institute, also compares the genetic makeup of old and new commercial vines, seeking to expand the genetic pool for these rare varieties. Borneman believes that preserving these ancient vine genetics could be vital for the future of Australian winemaking.
Celebrating the Heritage of Old Vines
For John Geber, owner of the historic Chateau Tanunda Winery, the value of these old vines is immeasurable. After restoring his 1890s winery, Geber has become a passionate advocate for the region’s ancient vines, which he describes as a unique taste of history.
“Each glass of wine from these vines is like tasting history. You can’t get anything like it anywhere else in the world,” Geber said. “The 100-year-old shiraz is around $200 a bottle, and the 1858 field blend is priced at $500 a bottle.”
Geber is now part of a European group, Francs de Pied, which aims to protect and certify wines made from ungrafted, free-standing vines. The group is also pushing for UNESCO recognition for these ancient vineyards, with Geber emphasizing the importance of preserving this heritage for future generations.
“These vines have been part of our winemaking culture for 200 years,” he said. “They’re not just old because they’ve survived—they’re old because they’re exceptionally good. It’s time the world recognized them.”
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