History

Before Phylloxera epidemic, vines were planted very close together in a random arrangement, untrellised or trellised on individual stakes.Vineyards were worked by hand. After Phylloxera, European vineyards were planted in straight lines to allow cultivation using animals. The higher quality northern vineyards could afford to by stakes & wire to erect standard trellises.

In the 1950s, over-planting together technological improvements and cultivar improvements led massive overproduction and drop in prices. So vine-growers had to reduce costs. The very severe winter of 1956 helped. Many growers removed alternate rows and culture systems such as the Lenz-Moser and the Sylvoz were developed. Often these systems cut costs but did not produce quality wine, so they have been replaced by systems such as the GDC, the Lyre and the Scott Henry.