An American louse nearly ended European wine. Phylloxera, first noticed in the Rhône in 1863, devoured the continent's vineyards over three decades; salvation came from the enemy's homeland, grafting Europe's varieties onto American roots. What the louse spared, history tried: mildew, war, Russian revolution and American Prohibition gutted the markets. Out of the wreckage came the modern rules — Baron Le Roy's Châteauneuf charter and, in 1936, the appellation d'origine contrôlée.
Period — 1875–1950
Phylloxera & the World Crises
Key events
- 1863Phylloxera is first identified, in the southern Rhône
- c. 1890Grafting onto American rootstock saves Europe's vineyards
- 1920Prohibition closes the American market for thirteen years
- 1925Perold crosses Pinot Noir and Cinsault — Pinotage is born at the Cape
- 1936France creates the appellation d'origine contrôlée
The grapes of the era
Indicative presence index, 0–100
The wines of the era
Médoc Red
Red wine
Hermitage
Red wine
Champagne
Sparkling
Soave
Dry white
Sauternes
Sweet white
Red Burgundy
Red wine
Rioja
Red wine
Port
Fortified
Mosel Riesling
Dry white
Barbera d'Asti
Red wine
Sherry
Fortified
Corbières
Red wine
Colares
Red wine
Barbaresco
Red wine
Alsace Riesling
Dry white
Saint-Péray
Dry white
Douro Red
Red wine
Jumilla
Red wine
Saint-Émilion Red
Red wine
Graves & Pessac-Léognan Red
Red wine
White Burgundy
Dry white
Chianti
Red wine
California Zinfandel
Red wine
Madeira
Fortified
Gavi
Dry white
Dolcetto d'Alba
Red wine
Nemea
Red wine
Dão Red
Red wine
Alsace Pinot Gris
Dry white
Crozes-Hermitage
Red wine
Saint-Joseph
Red wine
Cornas
Red wine
Côtes du Rhône
Red wine
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Red wine
Valpolicella
Red wine
Pfalz Riesling
Dry white
Nahe Riesling
Dry white
Banyuls
Fortified
Teroldego Rotaliano
Red wine
Toro
Red wine
Bairrada
Red wine
Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood)
Red wine
Etna Bianco
Dry white
Valtellina
Red wine
Navarra Rosado
Rosé
Dry White Bordeaux
Dry white
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Red wine
Barolo
Red wine
Beaujolais
Red wine
Primitivo di Manduria
Red wine
Rheingau Riesling
Dry white
Cava
Sparkling
Marsala
Fortified
Bandol
Red wine
Alentejo Red
Red wine
Alto Adige Lagrein
Red wine
Chinon
Red wine
Savennières
Dry white
Pouilly-Fumé
Dry white
Gigondas
Red wine
Tavel
Rosé
Vermentino di Gallura
Dry white
Aglianico del Vulture
Red wine
Rheinhessen Riesling
Dry white
Baden Spätburgunder
Red wine
Bekaa Valley Red
Red wine
Mantinia
Dry white
Gaillac
Dry white
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Red wine
Rapsani
Red wine
Vouvray
Dry white
Brunello di Montalcino
Red wine
Tokaji Aszú
Sweet white
Barossa Shiraz
Red wine
Moscato d'Asti
Sparkling
Utiel-Requena Bobal
Red wine
Lambrusco
Sparkling
Condrieu
Dry white
Hunter Valley Sémillon
Dry white
Picpoul de Pinet
Dry white
Dry Furmint (Tokaj)
Dry white
Vin de Constance
Sweet white
Fronton
Red wine
Tsinandali
Dry white
Pomerol
Red wine
Sancerre
Dry white
Mendoza Malbec
Red wine
Côtes de Provence rosé
Rosé
Alsace Gewurztraminer
Dry white
Amarone della Valpolicella
Red wine
Wachau Grüner Veltliner
Dry white
Muscadet
Dry white
Vin Jaune
Dry white
Etna Rosso
Red wine
Nero d'Avola
Red wine
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Red wine
Chablis
Dry white
Bouzeron
Dry white
Blanquette de Limoux
Sparkling
Fendant
Dry white
Franken Silvaner
Dry white
Uruguayan Tannat
Red wine
Montefalco Sagrantino
Red wine
Arbois Trousseau
Red wine
Arbois Savagnin
Dry white
Crémant du Jura
Sparkling
Jura Chardonnay
Dry white
Qvevri Rkatsiteli (Amber)
Dry white
Štajerska Furmint (Orange)
Dry white
Côte-Rôtie
Red wine
Prosecco
Sparkling
Pinot Grigio delle Venezie
Dry white
Santorini Assyrtiko
Dry white
Qvevri Saperavi
Red wine
Madiran
Red wine
Naoussa
Red wine
Burgenland Blaufränkisch
Red wine
Argentine Torrontés
Dry white
Ribera del Duero
Red wine
Jurançon
Sweet white
Arbois Poulsard
Red wine
Patrimonio
Red wine
Cannonau di Sardegna
Red wine
Taurasi
Red wine
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
Dry white
Qvevri Amber Wine
Dry white
Dingač
Red wine
Maipo Cabernet
Red wine
Tsolikouri
Dry white
Voskehat
Dry white
Rías Baixas Albariño
Dry white
Cape Pinotage
Red wine
Cahors
Red wine
Vinho Verde
Dry white
Cour-Cheverny
Dry white
Apremont
Dry white
Savoie Mondeuse
Red wine
Fiano di Avellino
Dry white
Cirò
Red wine
Neusiedlersee Zweigelt
Red wine
Retsina
Dry white
Chilean País
Red wine
Swartland Chenin Blanc
Dry white
Clare Valley Riesling
Dry white
McLaren Vale Shiraz
Red wine
Yarra Valley Pinot Noir
Red wine
Crémant de Bordeaux
Sparkling
Napa Cabernet
Red wine
Chilean Carmenère
Red wine
Rueda
Dry white
Bierzo
Red wine
Priorat
Red wine
Valdeorras Godello
Dry white
Commandaria
Sweet white
Niagara Icewine
Sweet white
Coonawarra Cabernet
Red wine
Franciacorta
Sparkling
Finger Lakes Riesling
Dry white
Haghtanak
Red wine
Clairet
Rosé
English Sparkling
Sparkling
Columbia Valley Cabernet
Red wine
Bolgheri (Super Tuscan)
Red wine
Sonoma Pinot Noir
Red wine
Hawke's Bay Red
Red wine
Tasmania Sparkling
Sparkling
Paso Robles Red
Red wine
Okanagan Red
Red wine