Abstract: To study the effects of different drip irrigation modes on the wine grape root distribution is the basis of formulating fertilization, irrigation, and overwintering management practices for wine grape. Taking the wine grape “Cabernet Sauvignon” as test material, this paper studied the effects of different watersaving irrigation modes (drip irrigation under straw mulching, drip irrigation under plastic mulching, doubletube drip irrigation, and singletube drip irrigation) on the root distribution of wine grape in the desert area of Northwest China, with the conventional furrow irrigation as the control. The root system of the “Cabernet Sauvignon” was distributed from 0 to 70 cm vertically, and from 0 to 120 cm horizontally. With doubletube drip irrigation, the root amount was the largest (138.3 roots per unit profile), but the root vertical distribution scope was narrowed by 20 cm, as compared to the control. Drip irrigation with straw mulching increased the root amount significantly, and increased the root horizontal distribution scope by 9.1%, as compared to the control. No significant difference was observed in the root number and root horizontal distribution scope between the drip irrigation under plastic mulching and the control, but the root vertical distribution scope with the drip irrigation under plastic mulching decreased by 20 cm.  Singletube drip irrigation increased the root number significantly, but had lesser effects on the root vertical or horizontal distribution, as compared to the conventional irrigation. It was suggested that the drip irrigation under straw mulching could be the best water-saving practice for the wine grape “Cabernet Sauvignon” in the study area.