Old Vines, History and Tradition in Every Sip
By Laura Conde, wine writer
Old vines have always been an important part of the legacy of Familia Torres, which owns several such parcels in various parts of the world, from Conca de Barberà in Catalonia to Valle de Curicó in the Chilean Andes. Working with old vines is a commitment that pays off in exceptional wines full of personality, capable of transmitting the essence of their place of origin in ways few others can.
During the most recent edition of Barcelona Wine Week, an annual fair dedicated to the wine and grape sector held in Barcelona, Mireia Torres, Familia Torres’s Director of Knowledge and Innovation, led a tasting built around several wines made from old vines. She was joined by sommelier Sergi Castro, who went over the distinctive characteristics of various wines, some of which originate from vineyards that are over 120 years old. “When we refer to old vines, we’re talking about vines that are more than 35 years old,” Torres explained. That said, some areas, such as Priorat, apply a stricter definition of the term. Here “the appellation of origin has established that old vines must be between 75 and 100 years old,” because the regulatory council does not consider 35-year-old vines as capable of embodying this historical maturity yet.
Mireia Torres and Sergi Castro during the BWW tasting
“These are very resilient vines,” Torres adds, “They absorb nutrients from the soil more efficiently and express the essence of their terroir, although during periods of extreme drought, they may struggle, because their roots are very deep.” For this reason, they need extra patience and dedication, resulting in very personal wines that hold a special place in the hearts of the people who make them. The selection presented during the Barcelona Wine Week included the following wines:
Chardonnay de Viña Vieja 2023 (Conca de Barberà)Made from 40-plus-year-old Chardonnay vines grown on the iconic Milmanda estate in Vimbodí (Tarragona), this fresh and expressive wine spends 6 months in new oak followed by another 10 months ageing on its lees in tanks.
Milmanda 2015 (Conca de Barberà)Another Chardonnay varietal from the Milmanda estate, the wine is an excellent expression of the character this variety develops in the soils of Tarragona, in vineyards that are more than four decades old. The attributes of the soil – deep calcareous clay with good water holding capacity – make this a Chardonnay that is exceptionally well suited to oak ageing. In this case, the wine spends 12 months in French oak.
Cariñena viña vieja 2023 (DOQ Priorat)This red evokes the tradition and resilience of 80-year-old vines planted in the emblematic Els Cargols vineyard in the municipal area of El Lloar. Pure Priorat on the palate, the wine is intensely aromatic, well defined in structure, and made exclusively from Cariñena, including 20% whole grapes with stems.
The wines tasted during BWW
Perpetual 2019 (DOQ Priorat)
Made from vines that are more than 75 years old, this is one of Familia Torres’s flagship wines, one that is unparalleled in condensing the essence of Priorat. Made primarily from Cariñena with a small amount of Garnacha (a blend that accurately reflects the reality of Priorat’s old vineyards), the wine is wonderfully concentrated and full of personality. From the 2019 vintage on, the bottle has featured the “Vinyes Velles” (old vines) label.
Mas de la Rosa 2020 (DOQ Priorat) Mas de la Rosa is a historical Porrera vineyard planted between 1939 and 1940, which produces a limited edition of Familia Torres’s iconic Priorat wine. The combination of Garnacha and Cariñena results in a round yet potent wine, aged in French oak foudres for 19 months.
Tinto Fino Viña Vieja 2021 (DO Ribera del Duero)This expressive, well-structured red reveals the strength and resilience of old vines, which are capable of maturing in spectacular fashion. Made from 65-year-old vines planted in the Valdegumiel parcel, in the La Horra area, this Tinto Fino varietal displays remarkable structure. The purest expression of Ribera del Duero on the palate.
Celeste Reserva 2019 (DO Ribera del Duero)
Ribera del Duero also brings us this elegant and very age-worthy wine that reflects the distinctive characteristics of its provenance in every sip: a vineyard situated at 895 metres in central eastern Ribera del Duero. Brimming with personality, persistent and velvety on the palate, the wine spends 16 months ageing in oak.
Manso de Velasco 2020 (Valle de Curicó, Chile)The Manso de Velasco vineyard is planted exclusively with Cabernet Sauvignon and produces a red wine of impressive intensity and depth of colour. An iconic wine in Chile, Manso de Velasco hails from vineyards that are more than 120 years old and constitutes a genuine symbol of excellence that has received numerous international awards. Born in 1985 as Miguel Torres’s first high-end wine in Chile, the 2020 vintage stands out for its technological maturity and moderate acidity, somewhat lower than in cooler years.
