Being a grape grower in California has not been easy this year. Nobody wants to buy their grapes. Even normally highly sought-after grapes like chardonnay from Sonoma and cabernet sauvignon from Napa have been hit by the drop in demand. Some grapes have not even been harvested; as recently as last year, they sold for $8,000-$12,000 per ton (which sounds like incredibly high prices).
Experts estimate that thousands of hectares of vines will have to be pulled up to deal with the surplus. That a surplus crisis was on the way for several years has been clear, some experts now believe.
Wine consumption in the US began to decline already in 2021. However, the experts also believe the balance will be restored as early as 2026. Now, it’s just a matter of uprooting the right vines, not the grapes that will be in demand again in two years. It is also very important that the vineyards are not just abandoned (and not torn up) – that could create a disaster for the whole area.
Read more: winespectator
There is a similar issue with over-supply in France, but the way it is handled is quite different. See our other news item on France.
