GoKawiilCalifornia wine grape growers left unsold as US wine demand falls
California vineyard owners report they cannot find buyers for large portions of this year's wine grape harvest, as US and global wine consumption has fallen more than 20% over five years. Growers say roughly a quarter of the state's vineyards are being taken out of production, with some leaving grapes to rot or replacing vines with crops like almonds and pistachios. Lodi-area grower Bill Berryhill says he cannot sell grapes from 200 of his 500 acres and plans to remove 50 acres after harvest.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The oversupply suggests a structural shift in drinking habits rather than a one-year dip, which could accelerate permanent vineyard removal across California's Central Valley. If growers increasingly switch to nut and olive crops, it may reshape the region's agricultural mix for years, while consolidation could squeeze smaller multi-generational family farms hardest.
- US wine sales have dropped over 20% in five years amid changing consumer habits
- About a quarter of California's vineyard acreage is being taken out of production
- Some growers are replacing grapevines with almonds, walnuts, pistachios and olives
Source: kqed.org, 2026-09-28
Published there as: “California Farmers Are Struggling to Sell Grapes as Demand for Wine Drops”
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