1 September 2021 Our wine writing competition 2021 is drawing to a close and now we need you to vote for your three favourite articles about old vines. See the WWC21 guide for the full list of entries and links to each article. You've got until 17 September to choose the winner!
For more than five weeks we've been treated to an outpouring of stories about old vines and old vineyards from all corners of the wine world. We've travelled from Japan to Bolivia, from Australia to England, from South Africa to Georgia. There have been stories of loss, triumph over adversity, survival against the odds, revival, craziness and courage. Some have made me laugh out loud, others even brought tears to my eyes. It's been inspiring, but also sobering: climate change, the relentless encroachment of concrete and the pressure of economic growth put these vineyards in an ever-vulnerable position. Several times, our authors mentioned discussion with winegrowers who wondered out loud whether they could afford to keep their old vines in the ground. It made me, for one, realise that we all have a role to play as guardians of the gnarlies.
It was tough enough to decide which of the 136 entries to publish. But the toughest job of all has been to cut the 74 published entries into a manageable shortlist. Jancis, Julia, Andrew and I now have the equally difficult task of selecting the winner and runners-up with the help of Sarah Abbott MW, champion of old vines and founder of The Old Vine Conference.
But this year we're also asking you to cast your vote for your favourite entries. You can select up to three entries by voting below, and the winner chosen by you rather than us will get a prize too.
The shortlist
Santiago Santamaria's vineyard, Castilla y León by Olly Styles
Mr Toutousanis' vineyard, Greece by Vasilis Mylonas
Harb's secret garden, Lebanon by Farrah Berrou
Karkın Vineyards, Turkey by Umay Çeviker
Colomé, Argentina by Jo Eames
Koshu Kaido, Japan by Rosemary Mitchell
Compagni Portis Vineyard, California by Mary K. Miller
Charles Coury Vineyard, Oregon by Lewis Kopman
Angélica Vineyard, Argentina by Adrianna Catena
La Roque, Languedoc by Katie Jones
Pédebernarde, south-west France by Hilary McGrath
Creutz, Franken by Ulrich Hagenmeyer
Gevonden, South Africa by Jono Le Feuvre
Piekenierskloof, South Africa by Cerina van Niekirk
Salanques de Joan Doix, Catalunya by Elizabeth Hecker
Finca Genoveva, Galicia by Salvator Vandewalle
Alan's Alicante, California by Christina Rasmussen
Tintore di Tramonti, Campania by Antonia Caserta
Evangelho, California by Chris Howard
AJ Duckhorn Vineyard, California by Ezra Wicks
Vote for your favourite entry
Please vote for your favourite entry/ies (up to three) here.
The photo was taken by Katalin Kiszel-Kohari, sommelier and assistant manager of Overwater Hall in the Lake District, UK, and is of one of the Sarragachies old vines in Plaimont.
