2010 North Coast winegrape crop dips 13 percent in revenue, 4 percent in tonnage
By Jeff Quackenbush, Business Journal Staff Reporter
NORTH COAST — Partly expected from the rains and scorching hot weather at key points during the winegrape season last year and weak market for high-end grapes, the 2010 harvest was 13.6 percent smaller in revenue and 4.7 percent smaller in tonnage than in 2009, according to preliminary state figures released today.
However, statewide the crop was the third largest in recorded history, behind 2005 and only 3.2 percent below 2009 tonnage.
“The lower crop levels are helpful to wineries at the luxury end of the wine business as they continue to balance inventories,” said Steve Fredricks, president of Novato-based bulk-wine and grape marketer Turrentine Brokerage. “Wineries marketing value-priced brands would have liked to see a larger crop to continue to fuel the success of wines retailing under $10 per bottle.”
The overall supply of California grapes and wine is balanced with bottle sales for most varieties, but some excess supply of the most expensive inventory, according to Brian Clements, vice president of Turrentine.
“Many brands at higher price points have seen sales slow because of the recession,” he said. “As the economy continues to recover and consumer confidence grows, the excess at the high-end is likely to disappear and eventually a shortage will develop.”
Winegrape purchase prices declined generally throughout the state in 2010 from 2009, according to Glenn Proctor, partner of wine and grape brokerage Ciatti Co. of San Rafael. Yet pricing for grapes usually going into wine brands with lower shelf prices fared better than those going into higher-priced wines.
Prices in California’s coastal areas decreased for all the major varieties, he observed.
“Napa cabernet sauvignon, a bellwether in the premium market, declined in price almost 8 percent, which was indicative of the weaker pricing seen in the Napa-Sonoma Region,” Mr. Proctor said.
By comparison, San Joaquin Valley winegrapes increased about 2 percent in price and 4 percent in volume.
Final 2010 crush figures will be released in the next few months.
Total winegrape revenue
| Region | prelim. 2010 | Chg. | 2009 | Chg. | 2008 | Chg. | 2007 |
| Mendocino | $71,734,039 | -8.6% | $78,505,655 | 28.7% | $60,977,819 | -19.0% | $74,478,709 |
| Lake | $35,894,964 | -8.4% | $39,171,479 | 12.7% | $34,757,602 | -21.7% | $44,226,389 |
| Sonoma | $370,460,029 | -19.3% | $458,839,069 | 22.5% | $374,681,893 | -9.1% | $409,769,714 |
| Napa | $424,496,335 | -9.4% | $468,713,573 | 21.3% | $386,501,896 | -17.1% | $454,983,449 |
| North Coast | $902,585,367 | -13.6% | $1,045,229,776 | 22.0% | $856,919,211 | -14.1% | $983,458,261 |
| Statewide | $1,733,436,695 | -22.9% | $2,248,406,363 | 21.3% | $1,853,027,520 | 0.9% | $1,820,583,049 |
Source: California Grape Crush Report, tables 2 and 10.
North Coast winegrape tonnage
| Variety | Region | prelim. 2010 | Chg. | 2009 | Chg. | 2008 | Chg. | 2007 |
| Chardonnay | Mendocino | 23,735 | 16.7% | 20,344 | 44.7% | 14,059 | -22.40% | 18,108 |
| Lake | 1,818 | 20.2% | 1,513 | 89.8% | 797 | -60.00% | 1,993 | |
| Sonoma | 65,566 | -10.3% | 73,101 | 36.5% | 53,538 | -8.40% | 58,433 | |
| Napa | 27,216 | 0.1% | 27,186 | 19.5% | 22,744 | -6.10% | 24,232 | |
| North Coast | 118,336 | -3.1% | 122,143 | 34.0% | 91,138 | -11.30% | 102,766 | |
| Pinot Gris/ | Mendocino | 427 | -6.1% | 454.7 | 42.5% | 319 | -14.80% | 375 |
| Pinot Grigio | Lake | 183 | -37.4% | 292.2 | 62.3% | 180 | -1.10% | 182 |
| Sonoma | 1,716 | -10.7% | 1,922 | 25.6% | 1,530 | -3.40% | 1,583 | |
| Napa | 807 | -6.2% | 860.4 | 12.8% | 763 | -14.40% | 891 | |
| North Coast | 3,133 | -11.2% | 3,529 | 26.4% | 2,792 | 3,031 | ||
| Sauv. Blanc | Mendocino | 3,725 | 11.8% | 3,331 | -0.3% | 3,343 | -11.10% | 3,760 |
| Lake | 9,564 | -0.1% | 9,575 | 8.8% | 8,802 | -14.70% | 10,315 | |
| Sonoma | 12,724 | -8.1% | 13,841 | 16.5% | 11,876 | 9.00% | 10,893 | |
| Napa | 11,879 | -5.1% | 12,514 | 22.4% | 10,221 | 3.80% | 9,849 | |
| North Coast | 37,892 | -3.5% | 39,261 | 14.7% | 34,242 | 34,817 | ||
| Cab. Sauv. | Mendocino | 9,780 | 19.2% | 8,203 | 37.5% | 5,964 | -37.50% | 9,541 |
| Lake | 11,393 | 8.3% | 10,524 | 2.3% | 10,287 | -25.20% | 13,751 | |
| Sonoma | 37,574 | -8.7% | 41,141 | 29.1% | 31,871 | -23.30% | 41,551 | |
| Napa | 55,662 | 0.2% | 55,537 | 27.5% | 43,546 | -25.40% | 58,407 | |
| North Coast | 114,409 | -0.9% | 115,405 | 25.9% | 91,668 | -25.60% | 123,250 | |
| Merlot | Mendocino | 7,034 | 65.3% | 4,255 | 1.8% | 4,180 | -36.10% | 6,542 |
| Lake | 1,224 | -11.6% | 1,385 | 10.5% | 1,253 | -23.30% | 1,633 | |
| Sonoma | 17,232 | 4.4% | 16,507 | 24.1% | 13,299 | -37.70% | 21,337 | |
| Napa | 18,668 | 4.0% | 17,954 | 20.6% | 14,884 | -34.60% | 22,773 | |
| North Coast | 44,157 | 10.1% | 40,100 | 19.3% | 33,616 | 52,285 | ||
| Pinot Noir | Mendocino | 6,695 | -10.1% | 7,444 | 34.3% | 5,544 | -7.10% | 5,966 |
| Lake | 198 | -33.3% | 297.3 | 95.6% | 152 | 76.60% | 86 | |
| Sonoma | 29,699 | -7.1% | 31,961 | 8.6% | 29,442 | -0.20% | 29,487 | |
| Napa | 7,395 | -15.1% | 8,706 | 11.8% | 7,786 | -11.00% | 8,750 | |
| North Coast | 43,988 | -9.1% | 48,408 | 12.8% | 42,924 | 44,289 | ||
| Syrah | Mendocino | 2,560 | -0.2% | 2,565 | 57.7% | 1,627 | -47.60% | 3,106 |
| Lake | 914 | -37.0% | 1,451 | 65.7% | 876 | -26.50% | 1,192 | |
| Sonoma | 4,514 | -18.9% | 5,563 | 16.1% | 4,790 | -39.10% | 7,860 | |
| Napa | 2,372 | -17.8% | 2,884 | 18.3% | 2,438 | -29.80% | 3,471 | |
| North Coast | 10,359 | -16.9% | 12,464 | 28.1% | 9,731 | 15,629 | ||
| Zinfandel | Mendocino | 4,701 | -15.3% | 5,547 | 12.4% | 4,935 | -18.70% | 6,073 |
| Lake | 1,900 | -23.9% | 2,496 | 25.0% | 1,997 | -18.70% | 2,456 | |
| Sonoma | 10,743 | -31.3% | 15,637 | 28.3% | 12,191 | -16.50% | 14,592 | |
| Napa | 3,116 | -21.3% | 3,957 | 30.6% | 3,030 | -26.30% | 4,111 | |
| North Coast | 20,460 | -26.0% | 27,638 | 24.8% | 22,153 | 27,232 | ||
| Total | Mendocino | 65,719 | 10.2% | 59,617 | 30.2% | 45,779 | -25.70% | 61,589 |
| Lake | 31,784 | 0.5% | 31,623 | 13.0% | 27,974 | -23.00% | 36,321 | |
| Sonoma | 189,898 | -10.7% | 212,675 | 25.8% | 169,000 | -14.90% | 198,533 | |
| Napa | 138,380 | -3.1% | 142,751 | 23.2% | 115,889 | -20.10% | 145,116 | |
| North Coast | 425,781 | -4.7% | 446,665 | 24.5% | 358,642 | -18.80% | 441,559 | |
| Statewide | 3,582,899 | -3.2% | 3,703,031 | 22.8% | 3,014,769 | -7.20% | 3,247,504 |
Source: California Grape Crush Report, table 2.
North Coast weighted-average price per ton
| Variety | Region | prelim. 2010 | Chg. | 2009 | Chg. | 2008 | Chg. | 2007 |
| Chardonnay | Mendocino | $955 | -19.2% | $1,182 | -0.2% | $1,184 | 11.20% | $1,065 |
| Lake | $1,235 | 8.2% | $1,142 | 11.4% | $1,025 | -23.20% | $1,335 | |
| Sonoma | $1,805 | -7.9% | $1,960 | -2.4% | $2,008 | 8.60% | $1,849 | |
| Napa | $2,115 | -6.2% | $2,254 | -4.4% | $2,359 | 6.80% | $2,208 | |
| Pinot Grigio | Mendocino | $1,155 | -14.1% | $1,345 | 0.8% | $1,334 | 7.10% | $1,246 |
| Lake | $1,000 | 0.0% | $1,000 | 0.0% | $1,000 | -22.60% | $1,291 | |
| Sonoma | $1,650 | -4.8% | $1,734 | -11.6% | $1,962 | 7.40% | $1,826 | |
| Napa | $1,618 | -10.5% | $1,808 | -14.8% | $2,121 | 0.80% | $2,104 | |
| Sauv. Blanc | Mendocino | $1,002 | -2.7% | $1,030 | -1.3% | $1,043 | 2.80% | $1,015 |
| Lake | $858 | -9.0% | $943 | 2.8% | $917 | 3.80% | $884 | |
| Sonoma | $1,307 | -11.2% | $1,472 | -2.2% | $1,505 | 1.00% | $1,490 | |
| Napa | $1,793 | -3.0% | $1,848 | -1.8% | $1,882 | 4.00% | $1,810 | |
| Cab. Sauv. | Mendocino | $1,132 | -15.2% | $1,335 | -2.2% | $1,365 | 9.50% | $1,247 |
| Lake | $1,311 | -6.6% | $1,404 | -2.2% | $1,436 | 2.50% | $1,401 | |
| Sonoma | $1,965 | -10.4% | $2,195 | -2.4% | $2,248 | 2.10% | $2,202 | |
| Napa | $4,262 | -7.7% | $4,619 | -1.5% | $4,690 | 13.20% | $4,144 | |
| Merlot | Mendocino | $745 | -28.5% | $1,042 | -2.1% | $1,064 | 4.80% | $1,015 |
| Lake | $736 | -20.9% | $930 | 5.6% | $881 | 12.80% | $781 | |
| Sonoma | $1,247 | -16.2% | $1,488 | -1.8% | $1,515 | 4.80% | $1,446 | |
| Napa | $2,405 | -2.2% | $2,459 | -9.2% | $2,708 | 1.30% | $2,675 | |
| Pinot Noir | Mendocino | $2,269 | -14.2% | $2,645 | 6.9% | $2,474 | 5.60% | $2,342 |
| Lake | $1,485 | -48.8% | $2,900 | 90.0% | $1,526 | -45.00% | $2,773 | |
| Sonoma | $2,790 | -8.0% | $3,034 | -4.0% | $3,160 | 12.20% | $2,816 | |
| Napa | $2,441 | -4.1% | $2,545 | -1.9% | $2,594 | 7.20% | $2,421 | |
| Syrah | Mendocino | $966 | -30.0% | $1,381 | -15.6% | $1,637 | 18.50% | $1,381 |
| Lake | $863 | -13.2% | $994 | -26.2% | $1,348 | 11.50% | $1,208 | |
| Sonoma | $1,965 | -14.9% | $2,309 | -0.8% | $2,328 | 2.00% | $2,283 | |
| Napa | $2,974 | -5.8% | $3,157 | 3.7% | $3,043 | 6.10% | $2,868 | |
| Zinfandel | Mendocino | $1,301 | -5.1% | $1,371 | -2.5% | $1,406 | 7.60% | $1,307 |
| Lake | $1,234 | 3.4% | $1,194 | -6.7% | $1,280 | 6.50% | $1,202 | |
| Sonoma | $2,234 | -10.3% | $2,490 | -0.4% | $2,501 | 4.50% | $2,392 | |
| Napa | $2,753 | -6.0% | $2,928 | 3.1% | $2,839 | 11.30% | $2,551 | |
| Totals | Mendocino | $1,092 | -17.1% | $1,317 | -1.1% | $1,332 | 9.30% | $1,209 |
| Lake | $1,129 | -8.8% | $1,239 | -0.3% | $1,243 | 1.90% | $1,218 | |
| Sonoma | $1,951 | -9.6% | $2,157 | -2.7% | $2,217 | 7.30% | $2,064 | |
| Napa | $3,068 | -6.6% | $3,283 | -1.5% | $3,335 | 5.20% | $3,135 | |
| Statewide | $567 | -6.6% | $607 | -1.3% | $615 | 7.30% | $561 |
Source: California Grape Crush Report, table 10.
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