Old Vine Registry Launched Official Wine Label Seal
The program introduces a standardized certification to help producers highlight the history of aged vineyards.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Wine
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The Old Vine Registry has officially launched the OVR Seal, a new program allowing winemakers to label bottles with the age of their vines. The initiative aims to protect historic vineyards by helping consumers identify old-vine status.
Why it matters
The seal provides a standardized way for producers to market the rarity of aged vines to consumers. By increasing the perceived value of these sites, the registry hopes to encourage the protection and maintenance of historic vineyard landscapes.
A wine qualifies for the seal if at least 85% of its grapes are sourced from registered vineyards. Producers must pay a one-time fee of US$300 to participate in the program.
The players
Old Vine Registry
This organization maintains a global database of over 12,500 vineyards to support the preservation and valuation of historic vine sites.
Garage Wine Company
This Chilean producer is among the first ten global wineries to adopt the new OVR Seal on its bottle labels.
The details
The new seal features five age tiers, categorizing vines by thresholds of 35, 50, 75, 100, and 150 years. Ten producers across seven countries, including wineries in Sonoma and Oregon, have already adopted the certification for their new releases.
Timeline
The Old Vine Registry launched the OVR Seal program on October 1, 2026.
Culture Shift
This certification mirrors the broader movement toward sustainable and heritage-focused consumerism in global agriculture. By quantifying the age of vines, the industry is shifting away from generic marketing toward transparent, history-backed labeling.
Shoppers will soon see the five distinct age-tier seals appearing on wine bottles as new vintages reach the market. The program simplifies the process for consumers to verify the age of the vines used in their purchases.
The takeaway
The OVR Seal allows wine enthusiasts to easily identify and support historic viticulture through informed purchasing decisions. This program offers a tangible way to preserve agricultural heritage by providing producers with a commercial incentive to maintain older vineyards.
Further reading
Find more analysis on emerging trends in the global industry in our Wine section.
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