California’s Department of Food & Agriculture on Friday released its annual Grape Crush Report with tonnage figures for the 2023 harvest.
The crush of 3.668 million tons comes on the heels of three straight years of below-average wine-grape crops, according to winebusiness.com.
The 2023 figure is less than some expected, given word-on-the-street reports that the state’s crop was above average. Of note: The Jan. 9 report does not include the tons that were left on the vine after a cooler-than-average growing season. It’s common knowledge that the state’s industry is battling an excess of grapes and bulk wine.
By the numbers: The 2023 crush totaled 3,728,923 tons, up 1.6% from the 2022 crush of 3,670,861 tons.
In District 8 (Santa Barbara, San Luis and Ventura counties), 59,263 tons of white grapes and 186,323 of red grapes were crushed. For comparison, in 2022, the white grape total was 44,502.8 and the red total 150,702.8 were crushed, according to winebusiness.com.
Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed in 2023, at 1,959,024 tons, up 2.3% from 2022. White wine varieties crushed totaled 1,709,270 tons, up 15.3% from 2022.
In contrast, California’s raisin-type grape varieties totaled just 43,621 tons, a decrease of 58.9% from 2022, and for table-type varieties, the difference was even steeper — 17,008 tons — down 89.9% from 2022.
The average per-ton price of all varieties was $1,038.97, up 11.4% from 2022. Average prices for the 2023 crop were: red wine grapes, $1,346.13, up 13.6% ; white wine grapes, $733.33, up 6.4%; raisin grapes, $285.60, down 7.7%; and table grapes, $195.57, down 8.7%.
Chardonnay continues to lead total tonnage crushed, with 17.5%. Cabernet sauvignon was the second-largest percentage, at 17.3%.
Chardonnay’s average per-ton price of $1,070.81 was up 4% from 2022; cabernet sauvignon’s average price of $2,141,17 was up 9.5%.
Raisin grape varieties accounted for 1.2% of the total crush, and table varieties crushed for wine were 0.5% of the total.
District 13 (Madera, Fresno, Alpine, Mono and Inyo counties; and Kings and Tulare counties north of Nevada Avenue/Avenue 192) had the largest share of California’s crush at 1,032,365 tons.
The average price per ton in District 13 was $344.08.
Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price at $6,943.33 per ton, up 3.7% from 2022.
District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second-highest average price at $2,915.82 per ton, up 2.9% from 2022.
Miller Family Wine Co. Partners with Better Rhodes to Boost Non-Alcoholic Drinks
The Miller Family Wine Co. announced in December its partnership with Better Rhodes, an online supplier for alcohol-free beverages. This collaboration aims to strengthen and revolutionize the non-alcoholic beverage category in the retail market, and help empower consumers to choose non-alcoholic options.
As a leading DTC online platform dedicated to non-alcoholic beverages, Better Rhodes provides an array of non-alcoholic beverage options.
In its collaboration with Miller Family Wine Co., which produces the non-alcoholic Hand on Heart wines, Better Rhodes will boost the non-alcoholic category to broaden the retail footprint, giving consumers more choices and expanding the scope of the non-alcoholic wine segment.
“This alliance emphasizes our shared vision of being thought leaders in the non-alcoholic beverage category, with the goal of enabling more people, regardless of where they’re at in life, to drink better,” said Nicholas Miller, chief sales and marketing officer of Miller Family Wine Co.
“We are thrilled to partner with Miller Family Wine Co., to better guide consumers and retailers through the rapidly evolving world of better-for-you beverages,” said Daniel Stiller, co-founder and CEO of Better Rhodes.
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Installs New Officers
During a gala dinner last Thursday at Rava Wines that saw Alex and Monica Villicana honored as 2023 Paso Robles Wine Industry Persons by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, the 2024 PRWCA Board of Directors members also were installed.
The incoming PRWCA directors (in alphabetical order) are: Chloe Asseo, L’Aventure; Josh Beckett, Peachy Canyon Winery; Cris Cherry, vice chair, MAHA Estate/Villa Creek; Randy Heinzen, treasurer, Coakley Vineyard/VPS; Carole MacDonal, Il Cortile Ristorante/La Cosecha; Noreen Martin, Martin Resorts; Molly Scott, chair, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery; Michelle Thacher, Thacher Winery & Vineyard; and Maggie Tillman, Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery.
Jeff Strekas, ONX Wines, departed the board after starting a two-year term in 2021, and Thacher replaced him.