California 2024 wine grape crush may be lowest in 20 years

California’s red and white wine grape crush from the 2024 harvest was 2.844 million tonnes, excluding raisin and table grapes, said a preliminary report from the US Department of Agriculture published 10 February. 

That is down on 3.685 million tonnes in 2023, albeit yields vary between producers and areas.

Winemakers in several parts of California have praised the expected quality of their 2024 vintage.

‘The industry has not seen a crop this low since 2004,’ said Audra Cooper, director of grape brokerage at Turrentine Brokerage.

Cooper described the preliminary crush data as shocking, but also said there was some ‘double-edged news’. California is one of several wine regions in the world facing issues with surplus supply.

‘The total California Cabernet Sauvignon crop was down 31% from 2023 and 22% from the five-year average,’ according to Cooper.

‘While damaging to those who grow Cabernet Sauvignon, this decrease is helpful in balancing the oversupply from previous vintages.’

Turrentine said the situation varied by area. It said the North Coast saw its 2024 grape crush drop 15% versus 2023, although it remained 3% above the area’s five-year average. Grape crush in the Central Coast, meanwhile, was 35% down on 2023 and 29% below the five-year average.

Turrentine’s vice-president, Brian Clements, said approximately 100,000 tonnes of grapes were left unpicked in California’s 2024 harvest, signalling ongoing challenges for the industry.

Oversupply is a particular issue for lower-priced wines, under $12-a-bottle, said a recent report on the US wine industry by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). 

Demand for premium wines has continued to be more resilient, and some wineries grew their sales in 2024, found SVB wine division’s 2025 state of the industry report.

It forecast that the supply situation should mean a ‘great era for consumers looking for good deals’.   

But it repeated earlier warnings that younger adults weren’t drinking wine to the same extent as the Boomer generation. More should be done to appeal to consumers aged 30 to 45, in particular, it said.

‘The wine industry is undergoing a significant change, marking the first demand-based correction in three decades,’ said Rob McMillan, SVB wine division founder.

‘We have been predicting a generational shift for many years, and the 2025 report data solidifies the wine industry is now living that reality.’

Still, more than half of wineries responding to an SVB survey described their financial health as good or strong, with 10% ‘very strong’ and 6% ‘rock solid’. 

SVB’s report added: ‘Winery owners are resilient. Those who have been in business with their own properties with years of successful brand-building under their belt forged their financial strength over time. Those wineries will work their way through this challenging period.’

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