The tiny louse that nearly destroyed European viticulture in the 19th century, and why some corners of the wine world are still free of it today.
The Louse That Changed Wine Forever
Phylloxera, a nasty root-eating louse, was the cause of disaster and destruction across Europe in the 19th century. The European vine, Vitis vinifera, could not withstand it: the louse ate through its roots, exposing them to bacteria and fungi and causing widespread decay and disease. It changed viticulture practices across the continent forever.
There are only a handful of places in the world that remain unaffected by phylloxera, each with strict quarantine procedures to keep it that way. Chile, South Australia, much of Argentina and Hungary are among them. Chile, for example, benefits from the natural barriers of the Pacific Ocean, the Atacama Desert and the Andes, making it extraordinarily difficult for the louse to gain a foothold.
