Prior to the devastating catastrophe caused by the tiny PHYLLOXERA louse, the development of the European wine industry had reached astounding proportions. One of the most important events of the 19th century was the official classification of the wines of Bordeaux, more specifically those from the Medoc and Sauternes regions, according to a system that is still in use today. Bordeaux reds had been much sought after since the end of the 18th century, and the region’s estates were technically advanced, although the relationship between the producers and the wine trade was not always perfect.