Vin Liquoreux

A very sweet, syrupy white wine, generally made from grapes affected by BOTRYTIS CINEREA.

“Old vines”—a common description on some wine labels—is an ambiguous term, sometimes applied to vines no more than 10 years old. However, there is an old vine that is certified by Guinness World Records. In which of the following countries can the oldest living grapevine be found?

A. Mexico

B. Slovenia

C. Israel

D. Greece

The wine region of Maribor, Slovenia, is home to the world’s oldest living grapevine. The vine was certified by Guinness World Records in 2004 and is the native red variety žametovka. At over 400 years old, the vine currently produces less than a gallon of wine per year. This small yield of wine is put into tiny bottles and given each year to presidents and other important world figures.

“….it’s not really just the chemistry that makes wine interesting or valuable. There’s a lot more behind the story of wine than chemistry. I know that might be disappointing for some chemists, but the reality is that people love wine. And people love wine not just because of the way it tastes.”

—Andrew Waterhouse
Professor of Viticulture & Enology, University of California at Davis

Get WineSpeed