With the growing season continuing to run approximately two to four weeks behind a normal timetable, the 2023 harvest is fully underway in the southern Central Valley but just getting started or not yet ready to commence in most other areas of the state. According to viticultural climatologist Gregory V. Jones, much of California has received 110-200% of its normal precipitation since the turn of the year: The effect of the cooler and wetter growing season was compounded in mid-August by the arrival of Hurricane Hilary, which brought a few days of torrential rain and humidity to many areas. 

The mildew problem that has been in evidence all through the season has therefore continued, while botrytis and sour rot have become evident in the southern Valley as grapes have started getting picked. We have heard of significant rejections of fruit, with sour rot the likeliest cause; Zinfandel is the varietal mentioned most in this context, though that may simply be because it is one of the first varieties to pick. So it follows that Colombard, Chenin Blanc and the florals have also been mentioned. 

Limited spots of botrytis have also been visible in the Coast. With Brix levels still short and picking yet to start, it is still too early to determine if this will be an issue. The perception in the Coast is that treatments have kept mildew and botrytis under control, although there have been some rejections of fruit related to the former. The greater disease pressure this year has occurred in the context of a low-demand, high-inventory bulk market that has led wineries to strictly enforce the quality standards set out in grape contracts. It is no surprise, then, that rejections are taking place. 

Now September has arrived, it is too late for the growing season to catch up to a normal timetable, regardless of weather. A compacted harvest is therefore in store, with trucking and crush facilities likely in very high demand from late September through the beginning of November as grapes all ripen together in a very narrow timeframe. 

Indicative of its lateness, it remains too early to guesstimate the crop’s size, even at the time of writing in the first half of September. Further confusing the volume picture is the likelihood of field rejections of contracted fruit due to quality issues and – as in 2019 during a similarly quiet market – uncontracted fruit going unpicked. It appears the Coastal crop may have continued to size over the past month, leading some to believe the total crop currently hanging on the vine is normal-sized, although by the time it crosses the scales it may have become lighter. 

On both bulk wine and grapes, buyers are holding back to gauge their needs. They are trying to discern if they will need to source, what they will need, and when, and – importantly – the most cost-effective way of proceeding. In a period of slow sales and higher interest rates, bulk wine buyers prefer incremental purchases close to bottling dates, providing quicker cash returns. Buyers and sellers alike are having to be nimble to ensure they make the transactions they need – the Ciatti team can draw on its decades of experience to help facilitate these. In the meantime, read on for our latest analysis.

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