The wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris grows naturally throughout the northern hemisphere, including the Mediterranean region. Wild grapevines were also observed sporadically across the southern Levant and has so far been considered as non-native feral plant. Nevertheless, no formal characterization was conducted for wild grapevines in this region, thus its taxonomical assignment remains elusive. Here we describe the morphological, anatomical, and ecological characterization of wild grapevines that is a naturally thriving plant in Israel and conclude that Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris is a native plant in this region which marks the southern border of its distribution range. These findings, combined with the recently-published genetic evidence for these populations significantly advance our understanding of the species’ ecology and persistence under climate change.