Napa Valley's Old Vines Yield Scarce, Coveted Wines

Old vines in Napa Valley, planted over 40 years ago, are becoming increasingly rare due to rising land and farming costs, as well as a phylloxera outbreak in the 1980s and '90s that destroyed over 50,000 acres. Despite no official definition, older vines are prized for producing wines with greater complexity, concentration, and balance. Winemakers like Chris Carpenter of La Jota, whose Cabernet Franc comes from vines planted in 1976 on Howell Mountain, note that yields decrease but quality improves. The Old Vines Registry lists 82 Napa plots among over 101,000 vineyards worldwide, including several farmed by Robert Biale Vineyards, whose Zinfandels come from vines planted between 1905 and the 1960s. Winemaker David Natali says yields are 40-60% lower than younger vines, but dry farming and advanced vine age enhance terroir expression. In Oakville, To Kalon Vineyard's Sauvignon Blanc planted in 1945 still produces, with yields less than a quarter of typical, used for Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc I Block. In Carneros, Bouchaine's Reserve Chardonnay comes from blocks planted in 1984, with winemaker Chris Kajani emphasizing intensity and elegance. These wines are expensive due to farming costs, with Kajani noting they are made out of love, not financial sense. Natali adds that economics are clouded by a labor of love to preserve heritage.