recr5553 (12/10/82)
This is a case of cause and cure both. Phylloxera is a little beetle-like creature that lives on the roots of grape vines and has a nasty habit of killing the vines upon which it lives. It is thought to be indigenous to the native vines of the eastern United States. For many years it was known that European vines would not grow in the eastern US but not understood why. The little beetle found its way to France in the 1860's, probably on an American vine being imported for experimental grafting purposes, and that spelled the potential end of the European wine industry. Within 20 years it had destroyed virtually every vine in France; the rest of Europe was also to suffer this fate. About this time, it was discovered that one could graft cuttings of European vines onto American root-stocks which are naturally resistant to the beetle. The resultant vines bore fruit characteristic of the European varieties, although there probably were some subtle changes in character. Millions of root-stocks were imported and the European wine industry saved. In this way, the US was both the villain and hero in this saga. good references: "Wine" by Hugh Johnson, Simon and Schuster (nice, easy reading, informal) "Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits", Alfred A. Knopf
dad (12/10/82)
0r /tmp/dad/w 1