Short definition
A French label term meaning "old vines," suggesting the wine comes from mature, low-yielding vines that produce concentrated fruit.
When you see "Vieilles Vignes" on a French label, it means the producer wants you to know the vines are old — but how old is anyone's guess. Some use it for 30-year-old vines, others for centenarians. The idea is that older vines produce less but more concentrated fruit. In practice, it usually signals a producer's better cuvée from their most established plots.