Overripe and shriveled grapes are filling vineyards across San Joaquin County due to a lack of buyers, leaving local winemakers with a sour taste this season.”It’s never been this bad,” said Bill Stokes, owner of Stokes Vineyards.”How can it get any worse?”The first problem facing winemakers is demand, Stuart Spencer, executive director for the Lodi Winegrape Commission, explained. “After 30 years of growth, we’ve seen negative wine consumption in the past three years.” Stokes echoed this sentiment, stating, “I don’t think the consumers are drinking as much wine as they used to,” Spencer said. Another issue is the supply, Spencer noted. “We’ve seen a lot of cheap imports coming in. And some of the largest wine companies that are rejecting these vineyards are also bringing in millions of gallons of wine from overseas instead of purchasing local grapes,” Spencer said. The cooler season is also affecting the crop. “But some of these large companies are wanting very high sugars and the vineyards just aren’t going to deliver that in a season like this,” Spencer said.The impact of these challenges could mean that some local wines may not make their way into consumers’ glasses. Terri Woods, a Lodi wine customer, expressed her sympathy for the growers. “It just makes me feel bad for the farmers and all the work they put into the growing and pruning and everything that goes into it, the money,” Woods said. “And then they’re just losing their crop.”Much of this year’s harvest is now going to waste, getting dumped onto the ground. “For all those grapes getting dumped out, that is economic output that’s not happening and that’s the farmworkers out in the field. That’s the trucking companies hauling the grapes. That’s the companies that are selling the barrels, the bottling companies,” Spencer said.Growers in Lodi are encouraging consumers to support their business by buying locally.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. —
Overripe and shriveled grapes are filling vineyards across San Joaquin County due to a lack of buyers, leaving local winemakers with a sour taste this season.
“It’s never been this bad,” said Bill Stokes, owner of Stokes Vineyards.”How can it get any worse?”
The first problem facing winemakers is demand, Stuart Spencer, executive director for the Lodi Winegrape Commission, explained.
“After 30 years of growth, we’ve seen negative wine consumption in the past three years.” Stokes echoed this sentiment, stating, “I don’t think the consumers are drinking as much wine as they used to,” Spencer said.
Another issue is the supply, Spencer noted.
“We’ve seen a lot of cheap imports coming in. And some of the largest wine companies that are rejecting these vineyards are also bringing in millions of gallons of wine from overseas instead of purchasing local grapes,” Spencer said.
The cooler season is also affecting the crop.
“But some of these large companies are wanting very high sugars and the vineyards just aren’t going to deliver that in a season like this,” Spencer said.
The impact of these challenges could mean that some local wines may not make their way into consumers’ glasses.
Terri Woods, a Lodi wine customer, expressed her sympathy for the growers.
“It just makes me feel bad for the farmers and all the work they put into the growing and pruning and everything that goes into it, the money,” Woods said. “And then they’re just losing their crop.”
Much of this year’s harvest is now going to waste, getting dumped onto the ground.
“For all those grapes getting dumped out, that is economic output that’s not happening and that’s the farmworkers out in the field. That’s the trucking companies hauling the grapes. That’s the companies that are selling the barrels, the bottling companies,” Spencer said.
Growers in Lodi are encouraging consumers to support their business by buying locally.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Dining and Cooking