SACRAMENTO — The 2020 crush totaled 3,548,623 tons, down 13.8% from the 2019 crush of 4,115,413 tons. Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 1,820,252 tons, down 15.6% from 2019. White wine varieties crushed totaled 1,590,634 tons, down 9.7% from 2019. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 42,425, down 30.5% from 2019, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 95,312, down 29.1% from 2019.
The Grape Crush Report includes the total number of tons crushed for concentrate production. In determining grape tonnage crushed for concentrate production, each processor was required to report the estimated equivalent tons of grapes crushed for grape concentrate. For the 2020 season, this total was 321,230 tons, 9.1% of the 2020 grape crush total. This report provides only the aggregate figure for grapes crushed for concentrate production and does not include information by district, type, or variety.
The 2020 average price of all varieties was $678.89, down 16.3% from 2019. Average prices for the 2020 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $795.39, down 22.0% from 2019; white wine grapes, $558.30, down 5.3% from 2019; table grapes, $159.73, down 39.2% from 2019; and raisin grapes, $250.58, up 2.3% from 2019.
Leading Grape Varieties and Districts
In 2020, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total tonnage crushed at
15.2%. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second largest percentage of the total crush at 14.1%.
Table grape varieties crushed for wine accounted for less than 3% of the total crush for the first time since
2016. Raisin varieties crushed for wine were a record low at 1.2% of the total crush.
District 13 (Madera, Fresno, Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties; and Kings and Tulare Counties north of Nevada
Avenue (Avenue 192)), had the largest share of the Stateās crush at 1,229,622 tons. The average price per ton in District 13 was $314.88.
Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price at $4,591.52 per ton, down 20.4% from 2019. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest average price at $2,414.23 per ton, down 15.2% from 2019.
The 2020 Chardonnay average price of $829.10 was down 9.2% from 2019 and the Cabernet Sauvignon average price of $1,233.10 was down 30.4% from 2019. The 2020 average price for Zinfandel was $522.47, down 10.4% from 2019, while the French Colombard average price was up 4.0% from 2019, at $287.13 per ton.
Prices reflect adjustments due to smoke damage, as reported by purchasers. For more information about how purchasers reported smoke damaged grapes, go to cdfa.ca.gov/mkt/pdf/GrapeCrush2020_Smoke_Taint_FAQ.pdf
The entire Grape Crush Report is available online in both PDF and spreadsheet format at www.nass.usda.gov/ca.
–USDA NASS California
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