Winecast: Phylloxera

[@neilhausmann7761]

Before watching this informative cast, I was under the incorrect impression that phylloxera was a disease spread by Daktulosphaira vitifoliae. As a plant biologist, this realization provoked a serious face palm moment. Thanks for setting me straight, U.W.

[@Underneaththebottle]

This is the first time I have heard anyone given Phylloxera a full 10minutes detailed explanation and drafting. Usually it is shortly mentioned as a fact around a bigger topic. Once again, thank you for uploading valuable content! I am recommending ppl to subscribe to your channel.

[@majopgalli]

Great info! I'm enjoying so much your videos, extremely usefull!. I'd like to add, regarding this subject, that the type of soil also influences, since for example Phylloxera doesn't does not spread in sandy soils. This is how certain regions, such as Collares, in Portugal, have pre-phylloxera vineyards. Also in Mendoza, most of our vines are ungrafted.

[@Zestroyer]

Hi there, love your videos and extreme amounts detail! If possible can you do a video on ageing / how long to cellar a wine? I know it is not an exact science, but there must be more to it than those vague vintage charts that just say “drink” or “hold” with a bit about the weather of that year.

[@christoskapatos3473]

Great Video! Santorini is Greece was unaffected by phylloxera due to its volcanic soil.

[@katenesbitt9349]

Fantastically informative cast yet again!!! Thank you :-)

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thank you and thanks for taking the time to watch. Cheers!

[@vineoclub3037]

In Portugal we have the DOC Colares, small appelation close to lisbon planted in sand as well. Thanks for the good cast.

[@zhaob9]

Very informative video!! I don't know how grafting works, is this a continuous process and is Phylloxera still a problem today? Does this mean that majority of the vineyards today still have Phylloxera resistant rootstock? So theoretically if I were to start a new vineyard somewhere in Europe tomorrow, I need to have the grape varietal I want plus grafting on a rootstock to reduce the chances of the vines getting Phylloxera?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

You're correct. Phylloxera is still a problem. No one has figured out how to eradicate it, just how to manage it. If you were to start a vineyard not just in Europe but almost anywhere in the world except for Chile, Washington State, much of Australia and parts of Argentina and a few other places here and there you would need resistant root stock. In the 1980s Phylloxera resurfaced in Napa Valley due largely to a root stock, AxR1, that was promoted by UC Davis as Phylloxera resistant turning out not to be. Thanks for the question. Cheers!

[@kevin_brown_dc3423]

Great video on wine as expected, but question: What American grape vine exactly? I know vitis vinifera is the vine effected by the infections, but what is the latin name for the American vine used?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Great question! There are a bunch (no pun intended) of American vine species, the five most important of which are Vitis labrusca, Vitis rupestris, Vitis rotundifolia, Vitis aestivalis, and Vitis riparia. In terms of the stocks that most vinifera grapes are actually grafted on to, there are a lot of options with the most popular ones being rootstocks that were specifically bred to be especially resistant to disease and to do well in different climates/terroirs. They usually have pretty unexciting names like C-3309 (a.k.a. 3309 Couderc) which is a hybrid of two American species V. rupestris and V. riparia. C-3309 is really common on the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. with a lot of American and hybrid vines planted on it instead of their own grapes because it's even more resistant to disease than their own roots. So, victory for science! Thanks for the question. Cheers!

[@kevin_brown_dc3423]

awesome answer! Thanks!

[@comesahorseman]

My understanding is that European vineyards became infested with phylloxera after growers imported potted cuttings of native American vines as an experiment, not realizing that phylloxera lice were already in the potting soil. And, there were no competing species of insects in European soil, so...

[@nickwilson1476]

I'm wondering what percentage of French and Italian vines have American rootstock?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

I haven't seen a specific estimate, but it seems safe to say that a very solid majority of French and Italian vines have been grafted. The only exceptions would be vines planted at high altitude (check out the cast on the Valle d'Aosta for an example) or on certain sandy or volcanic soils. Great question, though. Cheers!

[@traceyholt8223]

hmmmmm the Australian map is upside down! :(

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Indignor quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus.

[@liacorina]

Yep.