Old vines or old roots?

One of My ten year old vines didn’t make it through the winter. There is a new shoot coming up that I will train to be my primary trunk, but will the grapes be as good? I’ve heard the term old vines, but I hope they really mean old roots.

If your vines were grafted you’ll end up with rootstock growing.

If it’s rootstock, you will know soon enough. My rootstock, 101-14 and Riparian Gloria, have leaves that look nothing like the varieties grated to them.

You should ask folks in your area what’s common to do…plant on rootstocks or plant on their own roots.

I planted a climbing rose in an important location…it died to the ground, but knowing it was on it’s own roots, I just let it go (the next year) and, with some pruning & training the next year, I was back in no time.

This sort of thing might be a common approach where you are…grape vine survival has got to be hard in Wisconsin…but I’d talk to folks to find out first. Good Luck!

I’m pretty sure they aren’t grafted, so I might be safe. BTW my little vineyard of Marquette grows on the same latitude as Chateau Margaux.