Phylloxera: the tiny insect that brought the wine world to its knees

Today I want to talk to you about phylloxera, something everyone has heard of but few really know. And I think it's worth it, because behind this tiny insect lies one of the greatest catastrophes in the history of wine. A plague that changed forever the way vines are grown, and whose consequences we still see today every time we uncork a bottle.

To understand what happened, we have to travel back to 19th-century Europe. At that time, the world of wine was very different from today. Vineyards had been growing on their own roots for generations, and nobody imagined that a minute insect, arriving from North America, would end up endangering a large part of Europe's winegrowing heritage.

That insect was phylloxera.

A minute insect with a devastating effect

Its size can be deceiving. It mainly attacks the roots of the vine, where it causes lesions that make it hard for the plant to absorb water and nutrients until, in many cases, it ends up dying. By the time growers began to understand what was happening, the problem had already spread across many regions.

France was one of the hardest-hit countries. Its vineyards began to suffer huge losses and wine production fell considerably. But that crisis didn't only have negative consequences: it also triggered a movement of people, knowledge and wine that would end up transforming other European wine regions.

La Rioja and the crisis of the French vineyard

And this is where a Spanish region whose history is closely linked to that crisis comes into play: La Rioja.

Even before phylloxera devastated the French vineyards, powdery mildew, another vine disease, had already reduced harvests in France during the 1850s and 1860s. That shortage led French merchants to look for wine beyond their borders, and La Rioja became one of their destinations.

With the arrival of phylloxera and the gradual destruction of the French vineyards, the need to find wine grew even greater. France needed to keep its trade going and supply its customers, so Spanish wines took on extraordinary importance.

La Rioja had several advantages: its geographical proximity, its production potential and, above all, the railway connection at Haro, which made it easier to transport wine to France. Business grew, and some French merchants didn't just buy wine to take back to their country. They also settled in the region and began making wines using techniques they knew well.

That influence helped modernise the winemaking and ageing of Rioja wines. Together with the initiative of local entrepreneurs and the investment of capital, it helped drive the birth and growth of wineries that would go on to become benchmarks.

To me it's one of the most interesting paradoxes of this story: a catastrophe that was destroying the French vineyard helped, at the same time, to speed up the transformation of one of Spain's best-known wine regions.

When phylloxera reached La Rioja

But that period of growth wouldn't last forever either. Phylloxera eventually reached La Rioja. On 5 June 1899 it was officially detected in Sajazarra, and the region had to face its own crisis, with the loss of vineyards and a long recovery process.

The solution: American roots for European grapes

The solution, however, lay on the same continent the problem had come from.

American vines had developed resistance to phylloxera, while European varieties, belonging to Vitis vinifera, were extremely vulnerable. After years of research and many attempts, viticulture found a way out that would change its future: grafting European varieties onto resistant American rootstocks.

Put simply, the idea was to keep the grape varieties that gave European wines their personality, but to replace their roots with others able to withstand the insect's attack.

The solution was neither immediate nor easy, but it made it possible to rebuild much of the European vineyard. In fact, many of the vines that today produce varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay grow on roots of American origin. A legacy of that crisis that is still part of modern viticulture.

The Canary Islands and phylloxera

The story of phylloxera, however, didn't end with the recovery of Europe's vineyards. The plague spread to different countries and continents, although its impact was not the same everywhere. Environmental conditions, soil characteristics and prevention measures all influenced its progress.

And there's an especially interesting case in this context: the Canary Islands.

While phylloxera was transforming the vineyards of much of the world, the archipelago remained free of this plague for a long time. That helped preserve a unique winegrowing heritage, with traditional varieties and vines that are part of an agricultural history of enormous value.

However, that situation changed in 2025, when the presence of phylloxera was confirmed in Tenerife, in the Valle de Guerra area. The detection opened a new chapter for Canary Island viticulture and highlighted the importance of monitoring, prevention and control of the plague.

What happened in Tenerife reminds us that the story of phylloxera is still being written. Today we have far more knowledge and tools than 19th-century growers, but protecting vineyards remains a fundamental responsibility.

Wine is a living heritage

In the end, phylloxera teaches us something that goes far beyond viticulture: wine is a living heritage. Behind every bottle there are landscapes, varieties, knowledge and generations of people who have devoted their lives to the land. And what we take for granted can change in a very short time.

After transforming the vineyards of half the world, this tiny insect is once again raising important questions in territories that had remained free of it for so long.

Will it one day spread to the rest of the Canary Islands?

Iván Monreal Somm. Culture, history and passion for wine.

If you like wine with a story, discover the themed tastings of the Wine Club, the training for hospitality or write to me to organise a private experience.

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