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Period — 1875–1950

Phylloxera & the World Crises

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.

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

Trebbiano (Ugni Blanc)

60

Cabernet Sauvignon

55

50

50

50

45

45

45

45

45

45

45

45

45

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

40

35

35

35

35

35

35

35

35

35

35

35

30

Touriga Nacional

30

30

30

Grüner Veltliner

30

30

30

30

30

30

30

30

Sauvignon Blanc

25

25

25

Gewürztraminer

25

25

25

Melon de Bourgogne

25

25

Nerello Mascalese

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

10

10

10

10

10

10

Müller-Thurgau

10

8

8

6

5

Magdeleine Noire des Charentes

5

4

4

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Clairet Rosé English Sparkling Sparkling Columbia Valley Cabernet Red wine