If you have ever stood in a vineyard and come face to face with row after row of vines that are 70, 80 or 100 years old then it really does take your breath away. Not only have they stood the test of time and faced all sorts of frosts, hails and intense hard weather, they look like it too. Gnarly branches, that stretch from a trunk that just stands there with a “what are you looking at?” attitude. Yet, they help make deep, luscious, balanced wines that are arguably amongst the best that wine region could ever possibly wish to deliver. They are also in short supply as growers rip them up to replace them with new, bigger volume producing commercial vines. But around the world there is a growing movement of producers and initiatives that are looking to both preserve and also celebrate what old vines can offer. All of which has culminated this week with the first Old Vine Conference to be held online on March 23 and 24. Here Sarah Abbott MW, one of the team behind the event, explains what old vines mean to her and what the conference hopes to achieve.