BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Wine Phylloxera - why be amazed?

Amazingly, the native grapevines of North America (Vitis labrusca) were resistent to Phylloxera

Nothing to be amazed about. Phylloxera is native to, and endemic in, America. Its introduction to Europe came about because it was transported there on American grape vines.

American vines are resistant because they have lived with Phylloxera for aeons; those vines that didn't develop resistance didn't survive.

American vines were resistant, but Phylloxera has evolved. American vines are now in constant danger.

Do you have a source for this? This would affect the worlds vines since they are all grafted on american root stock.

If you follow the link from the article listed above you will see the information sheet from Ohio State. In part it states:

Damage is now most prevalent on leaves of French-American hybrid grapevines.

The only true French vines left are in South America, the Malbec vines that were transplanted there before the Franco-US exchange. Get hold of a nice Argentinian Malbec and you will, oddly enough, be tasting a true French wine. Delish!

I believe you are thinking of Chile. Chile is the only country that doesn't have to graft onto rootstock since the phylloxera louse hasn't (so far) managed to cross the Andes.

There are pockets of ungrafted vines elsewhere, especially where vines are planted in sandy soil which seems to defer the louse. There is even an ungrafted vineyard in Champagne.

No I'm not. Malbec vines were transplanted to South America before the French die-off. The only true French wines are in South America! LOL