Vineyards Cutting Crop

Tim Tesconi's article, Grape glut prompting growers to cut crop, in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat explains that many growers are thinning their crops.

Faced with what could be the biggest grape crop in North Coast history, growers and wineries are cutting clusters from vines to reduce yields and improve quality -- all to sell more grapes and wine in an increasingly competitive market...

The grower is trying to make the grapes as prized as possible. Thinning is a typical practice to improve quality in North Coast vineyards, but this year it's reached new levels because of the bigger crop and the continued focus on quality...

By reducing the cluster count on a vine, the remaining grapes...have more intense flavor and varietal character, producing higher quality wine...

Although most grapes in Sonoma County are sold through long-term contracts, some growers don't have a home for their grapes as contracts expire and wineries opt not to renew the written sales agreements.

Richard Mounts, member of a family that has farmed grapes in the Dry Creek Valley for generations, said there will be a great disparity this year in what growers receive for their grapes, depending on whether they have a long-term contract that pays a guaranteed price.

He said growers with contracts will do well but those selling their grapes on the open market will receive much lower prices. Frey said few wineries are looking for grapes, even with the harvest only six weeks away.

"It's very, very slow right now. Wineries aren't feeling the pressure to secure grapes because they know the grapes are out there," he said.