How Missouri Saved the Wine Industry

California and France have Missouri to Thank For Their Wine Industries

Missouri’s wine industry has an amazing history and is still thriving today. The area in mid-Missouri known as Wine Country attracts tourists from all over the world to experience a place that is truly special. But this industry is not new. In fact, in the 1800s, Missouri was the second largest producer of wine in America and was poised to become a world leader right before prohibition decimated the industry. Today, France and California are known as the world leaders. But their wine industries might not exist had it not been for Missouri. That’s right, Missouri saved the wine industry. In fact, both California and France have Missouri to thank for their great fortunes.

The Great French Wine Blight

This story dates to the mid-1800s and the “Great French Wine Blight.” As Missouri was experiencing a wine boom in regions across the state, the grapevines in Europe were being ravaged by an unknown killer. It was learned that a tiny insect known as phylloxera was the culprit. These tiny but destructive insects fed on the vines. They spread like a wildfire through the vineyards across the French countryside killing everything in their path. The infestation was so bad that three-fourths of all the grapevines in France were destroyed by the early 1900s.

Missourians to the Rescue

This is the part of the story where a Missourian named Charles Valentine Riley comes in to save the day. He was working as Missouri‘s first state entomologist, which is someone who studies insects, when the troubles began. He was also a professor and lecturer at the University of Missouri-Columbia was asked if he could help. France was desperate and was looking for expertise from around the world. What Riley discovered then changed the world.

Riley first wanted to know why Missouri’s plants were not being impacted by the insects. He found that the grapevines in the Missouri were somehow resistant to phylloxera because they two had basically “grown up together.” Since the plants in North America were relatively new, they developed a resistance to tiny bugs as they were transplanted across the country. Once he knew that, he began working on a solution. Scientists, led by Riley, found a way to graft Missouri’s disease-resistant plants to the still-living plants in France. And to the amazement of many, it worked. It boosted the hardiness of the French plants and allowed them to thrive once again.

Another Missourian to the Rescue

That is where another Missourian comes into the picture. A farmer and wine expert from Hermann named George Husmann sent hundreds of thousands of rootstocks to farms across the world to help stabilize their crops. Winemakers around France adopted the practice and his rootstock from here in Missouri helped save the French wine industry. In fact, nearly all of France’s rootstock today comes from vines that were grafted to roots from American.

Husmann lived an amazing life. He introduced Concord grapes to Missouri in 1855, wrote numerous books on grapes and wine, founded the Bluffton Wine Company near Hermann, signed the ordinance abolishing slavery in Missouri, then moved to California in the late 1800s to an area known as Napa Valley. That is where he discovered that grapes could be grown successfully in that region, just like in Missouri. He set up his new growing operations and helped kickstart the wine industry there. The Hermann native was not only a Missouri legend, but also winemaking legend.

Riley’s Legacy

Riley became a scientific legend for solving the mystery and finding a solution. He became known as “the father of biological control.” He made such an impact on the French that he was awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor by France, which is the country’s highest honor in service to the nation. They even erected a statue of him to commemorate the Missourian who saved their industry. He later was appointed as the official entomologist to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Legend

The moral of this story is… Missourians saved the day and made history again!

I, like many others, have loved Missouri wine and our wine country for decades although people around the country don’t often give Missouri wines their due. I often hear people at dinner or at wine tasting talking about how great California and French wines are. Many times, I just smile and say, “…and you have Missouri to thank for that.”

Yes, Missouri saved the wine industry