Rescue of 37-year old vines, now thriving in Gualtallary Alto, argentina
By Dr Laura Catena, founder of Luca Wines and winner of Old Vine Hero award in 2023
When a new road required moving our caretaker’s house in San Carlos, 37-year-old vines would normally have been lost. Instead, we transplanted them that same day to a higher site in Gualtallary Alto and they are now thriving in their new home.
Dr Laura Catena helping the caretaker, Daniel, to carry the old vines to their new site in Gualtallary Alto
We had a situation where, due to a road being built, we had to move the house of one of the caretakers of our vineyard. We had some 37-year-old vines that had to be moved, and normally these vines would be just pulled out and destroyed, but we had the idea of transplanting them.
So we pulled them out, some by machine and some by hand, then soaked them in water and transplanted them the same day into a site that is actually better: higher altitude, really good soils, and good sunlight.
When we asked Daniel — the caretaker — if he was sad, he said, “No, I’m not sad, because they’re going to a better place.” And we named one of the vines Daniela after him.
He was really happy.
I’ve heard a few times about this being done, but it’s not a widely adopted farming practice yet. Still, I think that, given that some vineyards are being pulled out due to housing or other human-related issues, this is a very good solution to save the vines and give them another life.
As you can see in the photos, these vines are really thriving in their new location.
98% of the plants survived, it was like a miracle!
Some of the vines were pulled up by hand
Some were dug up by machine
The vines were soaked in water
Before being carried to their new location
Old vines are really heavy!
The vines were replanted the same day
The new site in Gualtallary Alto is actually better than the old one
The vines are at higher altitude with really good limestone soils and optimal sunlight
Miraculously, 98% of the vines survived
About Luca Wines
In 1999, Dr. Laura Catena founded Luca Wines with a clear mission: to unlock the full potential of old-vine, family-owned vineyards in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, and to protect them for future generations.
Old Vines matter. Having survived for decades (often 35+ years), these vines naturally produce lower yields, which means smaller quantities of wine but greater concentration, structure, and complexity. Their deep roots and long-term adaptation to their environment make them more resilient to climate shifts and disease. And because Old-Vine blocks often contain a mosaic of genetic variations of Malbec, they offer a depth and diversity that enriches both viticulture and winemaking, and makes them vital to preserve for the future of the variety.
Luca works directly with a network of small growers who farm these special vineyards, creating a model that prioritizes:
Preserving old vines rather than uprooting them
Protecting Malbec’s genetic diversity
Supporting family growers and safeguarding their heritage
Exploring high-elevation and emerging sites ideal for old-vine expression
Dr. Laura Catena is the founder of the Catena Institute of Wine and Managing Director of Old Vine Conference member Catena Zapata, Luca Wines and Domaine Nico. She was the winner of the inaugural Old Vine Hero Award organised by the Old Vine Conference in 2o23.