New rules for ‘old vines?’
There are no rules for labels – everybody says it, everybody knows it – though everyone still used the label. But, eventually changes are planned.
Not everyone was consulted from the start – which caused some ruffling of feathers at the INAO and in the Languedoc – but it seams that the limit for labeling your wine ‘VV’ will be set at 35 years. But it’s France, so will there be more consultations planned? And is it legally binding? Your guesses are as good as mine, but the current info is that 35 is the number
It’s not ideal, and whether it’s the right (best?) age also depends on the grape-variety. It will also pose questions for many labels of long standing – Musigny Vieilles-Vignes, anybody?
But finally, it may come to fruition !!
There is one response to “New rules for old vines?”
Winedrinkers are used to 10 (or 20 etc.) old tawny ports, which are not actually 10 years old, but they are supposed to taste/have the structure of a 10 year old port. How well expectations are met depends of the producer.
Likewise you could say that VV on the label should indicate that the wine tastes as if it was made by grapes from old vines. Only problem here may be to define how wine from VV should taste.
However, we may (as with the port) let the producer speak. Some are serious others are not.
So, maybe we don’t really need a sharp definition.
Best regard VO (very old) Lars Simonsen