(Wine-Searcher) - A small enclave containing 140-year-old vines is trying to get growers to choose vines over lumber.

A group of southern Chilean farmers is seeking government funding to help preserve their ancient Malbec vines, some of which date back to the time when Ulysses Grant was in the White House.

It's one part of an initiative – the Traditional Vines Rescue Plan – launched by the Chilean marketing consultancy Andes Wines, its aim to persuade holders of old vines and rare varieties to preserve and nurture what they have.

Just seven hectares (17.5 acres) of Malbec vines – that are up to 140 years old – remain in the community of San Rosendo in Bio Bio, 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Santiago.

The vines, in plots of 0.2–0.8 hectares, are farmed by 27 growers, who up to three years ago were blending their Malbec with Pais to make the rough local wine called Pipeño.

Many of the vineyards are a field blend of Malbec and Pais, the growers having little idea of exactly which vines were which. That is until Chilean agronomist Juan Ledesma, of Viñas Inédita, noticed differences in the taste of the various parcels, and discovered the Malbec.

That was three years ago. Since then Ledesma and his fellow-winemaker François Massoc, who partners with viticulture consultant Pedro Parra and Louis-Michel Liger-Belair of Vosne-Romanée in the high-concept winery Aristos, have backed the farmers with support and winemaking expertise in a bid to preserve the Malbec of the area.

One of the main planks of this support has been ensuring an increase in the price of grapes. Before Ledesma and Massoc took an interest in the region, Malbec was fetching around 10 cents a kilo (less than a nickel a pound). That has now risen to $1.30.