QUESTION: Is it possible to move grapevines from one location to another?
ANSWER: Possible? Yes. Advisable? Well…
A few years ago, Langmeil Winery in Australia’s Barossa Valley saw the land cut out from under its vines — figuratively and literally. The land owner wanted to sell, so the winery operators decided to try transplanting vines to a nearby site.
Why not just replant? Because many of those vines were more than 140 years old, which meant the grapes they produced had unique qualities.
How did things go? About 85 percent of the vines survived the move, but the vintners figure it could be 10 to 15 years before they once again produce top-quality fruit on a consistent basis.
