What Is Phylloxera And Why Is It Important?

At some point in everyone’s wine journey, they run into cryptic references of phylloxera. What is it and why is it such a big deal? Phylloxera is an aphid-like insect (a louse) that feeds on grapevine roots, killing the grapevine. The insect traveled from Eastern North America to Europe, devastating vineyards in the late 1800s. […]

What Are Grapevine Rootstocks?

Many plants use rootstocks, a horticultural technique that grafts one species onto another. Grapevine rootstocks come from a different vine species (or a cross of several different species) selected to help the wine grapes thrive in difficult growing conditions. Growers select grapevine rootstocks based on drought resistance, pest resistance, or even tolerance for certain soil […]