Monday, 19 February, 2018
decanter.com, Chris Mercer
California’s most common wine grape varieties based on 2017 crush figures:
Chardonnay
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Pinot Noir
Merlot
Pinot Gris
Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah
Petite Syrah
Riesling
Based on 2017 grape crush data, published by California’s department of food and agriculture and analysed by Ciatti Company in February 2018.
What we know from the latest California 2017 harvest figures
California harvested around four million tonnes of grapes in 2017, with the red wine harvest down by 1.6% versus 2016 and the white wine harvest up by 0.7% against the previous year, according to preliminary figures released by wine broker Ciatti and based on California Department of Food & Agriculture figures.
Reds came in at just over 2.24 million tonnes and white grapes at around 1.76 million.
Wildfires impact
Devastating wildfires claimed more than 40 lives across North California in October 2017, despite 10,000 firefighters doing their best to contain blazes.
Wine was understandably not the main concern with lives and homes at risk, but there was nevertheless discussion within the wine sector around how fires might affect the 2017 vintage.
Some wineries sustained damage – Signorello, for example, being one of the worst hit – although a Sonoma State University survey of North California wineries found that 950 our of 1,025 wineries contacted had no structural damage.
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