CALIFORNIA CRUSH: TOO BIG TO SELL: And that's not counting what got left on the vine.

The California wine industry is facing a significant challenge due to an oversupply of grapes. In 2023, the crush totaled 3,899,710 tons, the largest since 2018, but an estimated 400,000 tons were left unharvested. Quality issues, including rot and mildew, affected some growers, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. Red wine varieties accounted for the majority of grapes crushed, but the market for red wine grapes is not as promising as for white wine grapes. The decline in wine consumption, especially among millennials, and the lack of an export market further exacerbate the situation. As a result, many growers may exit the industry, leading to concerns about land use and agricultural land abandonment. [Extracted from the article]