Phylloxera

Phylloxera is a tiny, parasitic louse that feeds on the roots of grape vines and eventually kills the plant. It is native to the Eastern Coast of North America, whose vines managed to develop a resistance to the louse and survive.

In the 19th century, phylloxera was inadvertently imported to Europe. Since the European vineyards had not developed a natural resistance, they were quickly devastated by the parasite. Millions of acres were lost and the entire wine making industry in Europe was threatened.

It was soon realized that the only way to save the European vineyards was to graft the top half of the European vines to roots taken from the resistant American vines. This would in effect create a vine that was half-European and half-American.

Some winemakers feared that this would fundamentally alter the grapes and change the flavor of the wines they produced. But despite their initial hesitation, they soon realized it was their only choice.

Fortunately for wine lovers everywhere their fears proved unfounded. The European vines were successfully grafted to the American rootstock without producing any noticeable change in the grape or wine.

European vineyards had been saved, and some of the world's finest wines can still be enjoyed.

In recent years, California and parts of South America have been hit hard by phylloxera. They continue the struggle to defeat the parasite.