Old Vines, Native Roots: Why the Future of Wine May Lie in Its Past

A renewed focus on old vines and indigenous varieties is offering a compelling response to the pressures of climate change here at Tenuta il Finale —one rooted not in innovation, but in adaptation.

As climate change accelerates, we, like many farmers, are being forced to reconsider long-held assumptions about ripening, balance, and even varietal suitability. Warmer growing seasons, compressed harvest windows, and increasing water stress are no longer abstract projections—they are realities shaping our vineyards today.

Here in Piemonte, we are seeing these shifts with particular clarity. Earlier budburst, faster sugar accumulation, and declining acidity are subtly but decisively altering the structure and style of wines. Piemonte, with its diversity of exposures, elevations and soils, is increasingly becoming a natural laboratory for understanding how traditional viticulture responds under modern climatic pressure.

For us, one of the most compelling answers lies not in newly engineered solutions, but in the rediscovery of autochthonous (native) grape varieties.

These grapes have evolved over centuries within this specific landscape. They are not simply grown here — they belong here.

At Tenuta Il Finale, we have chosen to focus on varieties such as Barbera, Arneis and Dolcetto—grapes that are deeply rooted in Piemonte’s history and identity. In a region where many may choose to plant more internationally recognised or commercially driven varieties, we see long-term value in working with grapes that are intrinsically adapted to this place.

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