Régis Michel

Régis Michel was a French viticulturist, researcher, and plant selector of the second half of the 19th century. He entered the history of global ampelography as one of the pioneers of practical selection, study, and propagation of the first phylloxera-resistant grapevine rootstocks, which saved European winemaking during the devastating crisis caused by the introduction of the grapevine phylloxera.

Practical Activities in the Montpellier Region

The main period of Régis Michel's active work occurred during the 1870s and 1880s and was inextricably linked with the South of France (Hérault department). He conducted his practical investigations and selection work in close cooperation with Louis Vialla, a prominent viticulturist, ampelographer, and public figure. Their joint practical and scientific testing ground was the Portalis estate (Château de Portalis), located in the vicinity of Montpellier — the main center for the emergence of the global grapevine rootstock culture.

Unlike university-based scientists focused on theoretical systematization, Régis Michel and Louis Vialla concentrated on field selection and testing of wild North American grapevines. They established extensive mother vine collections where they meticulously studied the behavior of various forms of the Vitis riparia species, evaluating their tolerance to the root form of the pest, adaptation to local soil and climatic conditions, and the ability of cuttings to root and graft successfully with European scions.

Main Selection Achievement

Régis Michel entered the history of global viticulture through the achieved results of mass selection targeting introduced American grapevine seedlings:

• Selection of Riparia Gloire: In 1880, together with Louis Vialla, he selected, recorded, and thoroughly described an outstanding pure form of the Vitis riparia species, noted for its high growth vigor and phylloxera resistance. This clone achieved wide international recognition under the prime name “Riparia Gloire de Montpellier”. In historical ampelographic sources, including the multi-volume “Ampelography of the USSR”, this vine was also referred to under the synonyms “Riparia Portalis”, “Riparia Martinaud”, or “Riparia Michel”.

The rootstock variety selected by Michel and Vialla became an absolute global benchmark for phylloxera resistance (19 points on the Ravaz scale) and served as the fundamental genetic material for subsequent generations of researchers. In particular, it was this highly resistant clone that was actively used by Professor Alexis Millardet and breeder Georges Couderc to develop the first complex interspecific hybrid rootstocks (such as 101-14 Riparia × Rupestris, 41 B Millardet et de Grasset, and 143 Couderc), which formed the backbone of 20th-century commercial viticulture.