Bill Spohn wrote:Front page story on the Times today was "Vintners Are Tearing Out Their Hair and Vines, citing one producer who uprooted and burned his vines, being unable to make money in a wine glut. I don't know how widespread this is - it only takes a single instance to make a good headline, but I have to wonder how wide spread this is at the moment. Apparently there is a wine glut as buyers are lacking (and I don't think it is all due to Canada taking US wines off the shelf - we don't drink THAT much up here!
Full story on page 13 - I'd be interested to hear from people in the know about the industry - is this a general trend or just a sensational story about one winery?
It's a general trend. I saw a stat the other day, that production overall in California is down 20-30%. Moreover, for the first time ever, white wine production is equal to or has maybe surpassed red wine--or maybe it was just new plantings. More and more people are becoming vegetarians, which in general suits white wines more than reds. Sauvignon Blanc planting and production is way up as a result. Othere reasons: export market isn't what it used to be; more people are shunning alcohol altogether in favor of weed, beer or nothing at all; the cost of insurance in fire areas and scarcity of insurers willing to write it; there are fewer collector types--we're aging out and our kids aren't interested in our hobby; and in addition to the usual health considerations there's also a significant Ozempic effect where people on those kinds of drugs have simply lost their desire for alcohol/wine.
