Phylloxera
Intermediate Grapes & Varietiesfih-LOX-uh-ruh
Definition
A root-feeding insect that devastated European vineyards in the late 1800s.
In Depth
Dactylosphaera vitifoliae, native to North America, was accidentally introduced to Europe around 1860. It feeds on vine roots, causing death within 3-5 years. The crisis destroyed 70% of European vineyards and fundamentally changed viticulture. The solution — grafting vinifera onto resistant American rootstock — remains standard practice. The phylloxera crisis is wine history's defining catastrophe.
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Details
- Category
- Grapes & Varieties
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Pronunciation
- fih-LOX-uh-ruh