The Great French Wines That Survived Phylloxera

In this episode, Lucas and Luna uncork the story of phylloxera, the tiny aphid that nearly wiped out every vineyard in France in the late 19th century. They trace how the pest arrived from America, the desperate experiments to save the vines — from flooding vineyards with water to burying live toads at their roots — and the eventual solution that transformed French winemaking forever. Along the way, they meet the scientists and growers who battled the blight, including Charles Riley, Jules-Émile Planchon, and the unsung hero who smuggled resistant rootstock past customs. They explore how phylloxera reshaped France's wine regions, forced the creation of appellation d'origine contrôlée, and even influenced the social fabric of rural France. This is a story of crisis, ingenuity, and the stubborn resilience of French viticulture. Perfect for anyone who has ever wondered why a Burgundy tastes the way it does, or how France's wine industry survived its greatest threat. #Phylloxera #FrenchWine #Viticulture #GreatWineBlight #CharlesRiley #JulesEmilePlanchon #AppellationOrigine #Burgundy #Bordeaux #Champagne #Languedoc #Grafting #Rootstock #19thCenturyFrance #AgriculturalHistory #WineScience #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo