March 13, 2026 (Novato, CA) — Following the release of the Preliminary 2025 California Grape Crush Report, Turrentine Brokerage, the largest California grape and bulk wine brokerage company, has issued a market assessment characterizing the 2025 vintage as one of the most challenging for the wine industry since Prohibition. According to the new state data, the total tons crushed came in at 2.62 million tons, a figure that is above initial projections and well above what was felt by the industry. This statewide volume is 8% below 2024 and 23% below the 5-year average. Total red wine production declined by 9% and white wine production declined by 6%. “The decrease in tons is still very positive news for the industry overall,” said Steve Fredricks, President at Turrentine Brokerage. “The 2025 vintage highlights the industry’s directional shift of declining production and an overall restructure of the industry. 2025 represented continued challenges for grower

In today’s challenging business climate, many small winery owners are cutting back wherever they can. But when it comes to marketing, the stakes are high: cut too much, and you risk losing momentum. Spend without a plan, and you may as well be tossing cash into the vineyard wind. Too often, I see owners relying on what I call “hope marketing.” They send out an ad, launch a promotion, or host an event—and hope it brings in more customers or wine club signups. It’s a bit like planting a vineyard without knowing your soil, climate, or varietals. You spend the money, put in the work, and pray for a great harvest… but you’re not set up for consistent success. And then there’s the temptation to copy what big wineries are doing, thinking it must be the “right way” to market. So they hire an expensive marketing consultant—one who’s used to working with large companies—and end up hearing nothing but crickets. It&rsqu

Sonoma County Winegrowers Focus on Creating Experiences to Engage New and Existing Wine Lovers SANTA ROSA, Calif. (January 17, 2025) – For over a decade, Sonoma County Winegrowers has been at the forefront of innovation, forging powerful partnerships with iconic brands like John Deere, Ford Pro, Wilbur Ellis, Landry’s, and the San Francisco Giants. As unveiled at this week’s annual Dollars & $ense meeting, held virtually, 2025 marks a year dedicated to “Renewing, Building, and Growing” these renowned programs, expanding their reach, amplifying the Sonoma County story, and setting new benchmarks in excellence. As Karissa Kruse, president and chief executive officer of Sonoma County Winegrowers, started her presentation with a review of the past twelve years since she joined the organization, it was clear that the results in building the brand’s visibility over the years has been successful. From being world leaders in sustainability, to sports ma

Afternoon Brief: Smoke Taint Revolution - Carbon Fabric to Become Vineyard-Wide Netting

As wildfires become more frequent and intense due to climate change, the need for smoke taint prevention has never been more critical. One of the most exciting developments in this space is the research into activated carbon fabric - an innovation that could potentially protect vineyards from smoke damage...

Afternoon Brief, June 21st

A Look at Antinori’s Purchase of Washington’s Col Solare: “The fact that Piero Antinori feels like this is a gem that he wants within his family, I think it speaks volumes to what Washington has done, especially as it relates to luxury wines,” says Juan Muñoz-Oca, chief operating officer of Antinori USA.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s preliminary 2023 grape crush figure, published February 9th, totalled 3,668,294 tons, in line with Ciatti’s pre-harvest projections of 3.5-3.7 million tons. The crop was 8% larger than 2022’s 3.39 million tons but the fifth consecutive crop to come in below the 4-million-ton mark. At least part of the shortfall was attributable to uncontracted grapes going unpicked: Many wineries were willing to receive grapes only to the contracted volumes and then held growers to that number.  Chardonnay’s total tonnage was up 24.1% versus 2022 to 651,610 tons, re-taking the crown as the state’s largest variety which it briefly lost in 2022 to Cabernet (itself up, by 14.1% to 646,941 tons). Versus 2022, some 66,000 extra Chardonay tons were harvested in Lodi and Clarksburg combined. Sauvignon Blanc experienced the same percentage growth as Chardonnay, up 24.1% to 162,765 tons, while Pinot Gris tonnage was up 19.1%

(February 9, 2024, Novato, CA) – The California Department of Food & Agriculture’s Preliminary Grape Crush Report for 2023 was released today. The crush of 3.668 million tons stayed in line with the Ciatti Company’s earlier pre-harvest projections of 3.5 - 3.7 million tons  Ciatti’s experienced brokers are available for further details, comments & analysis on the 2023 California Grape Crush Report. Please call 415-458-5150. North Coast The takeaway from the North Coast is that the 2023 crush looked a lot like the rest of the state where wineries were willing to receive grapes only to the contracted volumes and then held growers to that number. Unlike much of the rest of the state, in the North Coast there was a late season spot market for grapes in Napa and Sonoma that cleaned up any extra tonnage. A noteworthy highlight from the North Coast harvest in 2023: Napa County harvested 92,262 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon up from 73,812 tons in 2022. - Chr

Afternoon Brief, September 7th

New Jersey Judge Upholds Retail Shipping Ban: Once again, the courts deem retail sales to be different than winery offerings...