Revolution in a Glass

The French Revolution didn't just topple the monarchy—it democratized wine. Church and noble estates were broken up and sold to the bourgeoisie and peasants. This redistribution of land created the patchwork of small family domains that characterizes regions like Burgundy today, where a vigneron might own rows of vines in a dozen different vineyards.

The late 19th century brought catastrophe in the form of phylloxera, a root-eating aphid from America that destroyed nearly all of Europe's vineyards. The solution—grafting European vines onto resistant American rootstock—saved the industry but changed it forever. Some argue that wines have never tasted quite the same.

Two world wars ravaged vineyards and took countless vignerons. Women kept many estates alive during these periods, though their contributions were often uncredited. Post-war modernization brought mechanization and chemicals, increasing yields but sometimes at the cost of quality and environmental health.