Out of the blue

It’s hard to imagine the horror of European vineyard owners, managers and workers when they first encountered the ravages of the phylloxera louse. It seemed to appear out of the blue. And, in a sense, they were right. This devastating disease arrived from North America on board ships crossing the Atlantic.

Prior to the early 1830s, a trans-Atlantic crossing could take up to three weeks—which was too long for the louse to survive without sustenance. With the advent of steam travel, however, the transit was faster— although initially reserved for the wealthy. The trouble started a decade or two later when it became commercially feasible to use steamships to transport cargo. The faster transit allowed the bugs to survive, and this terrible pest was then able to work its way across the vineyards of Europe. Only indigenous varietals planted in sandy soils (which phylloxera could not abide) were able to withstand the onslaught.

Vines were not the only plants to fall prey to this new-fangled, more efficient transportation system. The potato crop was, and still remains, susceptible to a nasty fungal disease that was imported into Europe by this steam-powered improvement in transportation. Ironically, planting of potatoes had been encouraged to offset times when grain crops failed due to the effect of wheat rust. In Ireland, the peasant diet became based on potato (for starch) and buttermilk (for protein). From 1845 to 1849, potato crops failed due to a perfect storm of weather conditions and the arrival of blight from overseas. Despite the efforts of many landlords, politicians and social groups to alleviate the hunger, nearly one and a half million people died—almost 20 per cent of the population.

In hindsight, it serves no purpose to cast blame. Would you tighten cargo inspections (and stifle availability of goods), or would you develop “disease resistant” strains (and run the risk of succumbing to an as-yet undiscovered foreign pest)? All the same, one of the primary functions of a government is to ensure secure food sources for those who elect them to office—and that means protecting farmers from such calamities.

THIS WEEK’S PICKS
• Enjoy a little glass of sunshine with the Hinterland 2015 Borealis, made from gamay noir grapes. It’s available at the winery located on Closson Rd.

• And just next door is the County Road Beer Company—making the ultimate twofer.

• If you like County chardonnays, secure some of the Casa Dea 2010 Chardonnay before it’s all gone. At $29.95, it is worth every penny (or rounded to the closest nickel).