Phylloxera vastatrix is an insect from the aphid family, native to North America, known for attacking grapevines, specifically their roots and leaves. The insect made a “one-way” journey on a vine aboard a commercial ship traveling from America to France in 1863. It only gained notoriety a few years later, after it began devastating French vineyards. Starting in Médoc, it spread across Europe over the next 20 years.

Massive damage only began to be seen and felt a few years later, as the insect takes time to completely kill a vine. Its method: it initially attacks the roots by injecting toxic saliva while simultaneously extracting all the plant’s nutrients. Over time, the vine loses its immunity, becomes vulnerable, and eventually can no longer absorb water, leading to its death.

Effect: European vineyards were devastated on a massive scale, some estimates say 50%, others as high as 90%. Wine production plummeted; for example, France’s output dropped from 85 to just 25 million hectoliters per year. A deep sadness, as you can imagine, especially since no one knew what was causing the plants to die.

By 1871, in desperation and hoping to accelerate research, the French Ministry of Agriculture announced a reward of 300,000 gold francs (equivalent to €1.5 million today) for anyone who could find a solution. Thousands of methods were proposed: sulfur, nicotine, even prayers and holy water but, surprisingly (or not), none worked.

Meanwhile, a team of European and American specialists, including Léo Laliman, Gaston Bazille, and Jules-Émile Planchon, returned victorious from a trip to America with an “unconventional” solution. The insect couldn’t be killed by any known method, but the proposed fix was to graft European vines (Vitis vinifera) onto American rootstock (considered wild at the time). It had been observed that American vine roots were practically immune to the insect’s attack. Though met with skepticism, the solution was accepted, and the grafting process began immediately France had 11 billion vines to rebuild.

On one hand, despite all efforts, not all regions and grape varieties could be saved: Lorraine and Île-de-France were lost forever. On the other hand, the insect didn’t reach absolutely everywhere. A few isolated areas remained untouched by the malicious pest—some islands, like Santorini, allowed ancestral varieties such as Assyrtiko to survive even to this day.

The re-grafting process was extremely challenging, mainly because the aromatic profile changed: European vines brought complex and refined flavors, while American vines introduced more common, table-wine-like notes. The conclusion? The insect was never truly eradicated. What we’re talking about is damage control—European grapevines had to undergo a kind of mutation and adapt. What amazes me is that this solution is still used today, and although various methods continue to be tested, none have proven truly effective or universally applicable.