California’s grape crush smallest in 20 years

California’s 2024 grape crush has hit a two-decade low, with 2.8 million tonnes harvested — 24% less than last year. This shortfall is reshaping the industry, forcing vineyard removals and causing growers to rethink their future.

According to the Pacific Region Grape Crush Report, published on 10 February, this is the smallest yield since the early 2000s.
To counteract oversupply, 37,000 acres of vines were removed last year, yet some industry leaders argue at least 50,000 more acres must go.

Wildfires have also taken their toll, with Napa’s Newton Vineyard closing after devastating losses. Grape prices have plummeted, with white varieties dropping 4.8% to $698 per tonne, while even Napa’s premium grapes saw a 2.3% decline. With further cuts expected, 2025 may bring an even leaner harvest.

According to Meininger (a wine business magazine) a naturally small vintage was further reduced by a heatwave in October. Additionally, it has become increasingly apparent that large areas of vineyards were not harvested. W. Blake Gray, in an estimate on wine-searcher.com, suggests that up to 30% of the red wine grapes in 2024 were not picked. In fact, red wine varieties, which made up the lion's share of processed grapes in California at 1,438,527 tonnes, saw a significant 27.1% decline compared to 2023, while white wine varieties (1,405,119 tonnes) decreased by a more moderate 18.0%.