Where can I find information on grape prices?

The California Department of Food and Agriculture produces an annual publication called the "Grape Crush Report." It contains the average price per ton of each wine grape variety sold to wineries by "crush district." A crush district is a region that encompasses one or more counties. There are 17 crush districts in the state. District 3 contains Sonoma and Marin Counties. District 4 contains Napa County only. 

Many wineries own their own vineyards and, as a result, the price per ton for grapes produced by those acres may or may not be similar to the price paid for grapes produced by vineyards that are not owned or related to a winery. To address this issue, Table 10 was added to the crush reort beginning with the 1997 crop. It lists the weighted average price per ton paid by variety by crush district of all tonnage purchased from non-related sources.

The Grape Crush Report is compiled by the California Agricultural Statistics Service and can be read online or you can request a hard copy by calling (916) 498-5161. It is also available at the Sonoma County Wine Library located in Healdsburg. This branch of the county library system is located at the corner of Center and Piper Streets in Healdsburg. A "Preliminary Grape Crush Report" is produced in February and a "Final Grape Crush Report" is produced in March of each year.

Where can I find information on weather or climate?

Weather data are not collected by the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Sonoma County. Long term daily and average monthly temperature and precipitation data for many areas throughout the state, as well as in this county, are available from several on-line sources. A popular site to visit for this purpose is the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project. Data for Sonoma County are available from both "climate" and "automatic" stations.

A "climate" station is (station name ends with '.C') one that is established by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in North Carolina. The IPM web site contains current year daily data (with recent data delayed 3-6 months) for five sites in Sonoma County. It also contains daily averages of maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation over the period of 1971-2000.

For a "climate" station, weather information is collected by volunteers who record daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation amounts and report these numbers to NOAA. NOAA sends compiled data to several academic and government institutions on a regular basis. When statewide data for California is received by UC, NOAA's data are rechecked for completeness then posted on the web site. As a result, there is a delay before recent data are posted.

NOAA also produces hard copies of weather data on a monthly basis. In these reports, the daily max / min temperatures and precipitation and monthly averages are given by site. The publication is available in some libraries but there is about a six to eight month delay before the document is received by libraries.

An "automatic" weather station (station name ends with '.A') is established by the California Department of Water Resource in Sacramento. The statewide system of automatic weather stations is called the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS). Each station monitors various aspects of weather including, but not limited to, air temperature and precipitation. CIMIS is an integrated computer network of about 80 stations. There are four CIMIS stations in Sonoma County: Santa Rosa, Windsor, Bennett Valley and East Petaluma. Daily weather data from these automatic stations are usually available on the UC web site within 24 hours.

"Climate Data for Various Locations in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Marin Counties, California: Compiled December 1993" is a publication available from the UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma County office that contains climate and automatic station data as well as out-of-print climate data summaries. Contact our office for more information.

Click here to review "Testing Vineyard Thermometers Prior to Frost Season"

What is the cost to establish a vineyard in Sonoma County?

The "2004 University of California Cooperative Extension Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard and Produce Wine Grapes" cost study is now available from the UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma County office or it can be downloaded from UC Cooperative Extension Index of Cost and Return Studies

This publication details costs for establishing a 30 acre winegrape vineyard on flat ground with a 6' x 8' vine-by-row spacing. As with any cost study, some of the assumptions made in the development of a hypothetical vineyard will not be appropriate for your set of conditions. Additionally, a UC cost study does not contain the degree of detail that is usually required from the perspective of an accountant or lender. This cost study provides a hard copy template that allows you to allocate costs as "overhead" or "cash" in a manner that best suits your needs.

UC vineyard cost studies written for other counties may also be informative. These include the following:

• University of California Cooperative Extension 2003 Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard and Produce Wine Grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County
• University of California Cooperative Extension 2002 Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard and Produce Wine Grapes - Chardonnay, Sacaramento Valley - Sacramento River Delta
• University of California Cooperative Extension 2001 Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard and Produce Wine Grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, San Joaquin Valley North, Lodi Appellation of Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties
• University of California Cooperative Extension 2000 Sample Costs to Produce Wine Grapes - Sierra Nevada Foothills, Zinfandel Variety - 5 acre site.

All wine grape establishment and production cost studies are available from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis. To order, phone (530)752-1515.

What is the outlook for the grape supply and grape prices?

• Grape Acreage Data:

The supply of grapes as well as the demand and availability of wine are just a few of the factors that affect grape prices. Other pressures on grape prices in the North Coast include the availability of wine imports, many of which are priced well below the same varietal wines produced in Napa and Sonoma Counties. These are very dynamic factors that can rapidly change. Wine is aggressively exported from Australia, Italy, France and South America. Simultaneously, the grape acreage in those countries is increasing.

One source of grape acreage information that is heavily relied upon by industry analysts is the "California Grape Acreage," a report produced annually by the California Agricultural Statistics Service (see Frequently Asked Question #1). The report is available in June and contains the previous crop year data. It provides the standing acreage by grape variety and county in each of the previous eight years. It also provides the non-bearing as well as bearing acreage by variety and county for the most recently completed crop year. You may read the "California Grape Acreage" report online or order a hard copy by calling (916) 498-5161. It is also available at the Sonoma County Wine Library located in the Healdsburg branch of the county library system.

The accuracy of California grape acreage data is paramount to generating accurate estimates of grape production in all of the state's growing regions. However, 100% reporting compliance by about 8,500 grape growers is unlikely. As described in Grape Acreage 1998, a probability survey was conducted to estimate total bearing and non-bearing acres. Thus, beginning with that year, acreage totals are adjusted to account for estimated incompleteness of data.

   

 Industry Reports and Newsletters

Gomberg-Fredrikson Report

Gomberg, Fredrikson and Associates, 231 Ware Road, Suite 823, Woodside, CA 94062, PHONE (650) 851-6090, FAX (650) 745-7086. This is a wine industry marketing report that is issued monthly to firm clients. Members of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) receive a discount. Gomberg, Fredrikson and Associates is a consulting firm specializing in economic trend analysis, statistical research, new venture planning evaluation and more. More information about reports and services provided by Gomberg, Fredickson and Assoc. is available at The Winery Exchange.

The US Wine Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast

Available at the Sonoma County Wine Library, 139 Piper St., Healdsburg, CA 95448 PHONE: (707) 433-3772 FAX: (707) 433-7946. The US Wine Market Impact Databank Review and Forecast contains the most complete statistical information available showing wine sellers by brand; demographic information; overall economic reviews. The Sonoma County Wine Library has issues from 1990 to 2000. Bo Simons, the reference librarian may be able to gather a small amount of information from the report and get back to you by phone or e-mail. You must visit the library in person to collect more extensive data from the book.

Winefiles.org is a unique database that includes citations, abstracts and links to articles in the technical, academic, trade and consumer wine periodicals as well as newspaper articles, government documents, press releases, advertising brochures
and other ephemera dealing with wine.


Grape Trends Report 2006


Published by MKF, LLP, 899 Adams Street, Suite E, St. Helena, CA 94574. PHONE: (707) 963-9222 FAX: (707) 963-1379. http://www.mkf.com. This research report covers significant trends in prices, tons, and acres for seven varieties of winegrapes grown in all major California grape growing regions. Historical data and grape acreage, tons and price forecasts are presented for the Northern and Southern Interiors and North and Central Coast Regions. Demand trends by price segment and future outlook are also covered. MKF is a wine business advisory firm that offers tax and accounting services and business consulting including mergers and acquisitions. They also conduct wine industry research and produce a number of reports.

Wine Business Monthly and Wine Business Insider

Both of these publications are components of www.winebusiness.com Sonoma, California. PHONE: (800) 895-9463. FAX: (707) 939-0833.
Wine Business Monthly reports on all areas of wine making; wine grape growing, trends and research, and business issues. It costs $39 a year.
Wine Business Insider is a weekly newsletter delivered by e-mail and costs $295 annually. It presents analyses of production reports, sales data and the week's top stories. It also reports on key personnel changes, mergers and acquisitions.


Market Update Newsletter

Turrentine Wine Brokerage, 122 Tunstead Ave., San Anselmo, CA 94960. PHONE: (415) 454-4546 FAX: (415) 454-9665. This newsletter, which is published almost monthly, examines trends in the grape and bulk wine markets. Turrentine Wine Brokerage provides a system to buy and sell grapes, and varietal wines in bulk. It matches buyers to sellers and follows through on the purchase. It also provides services to lenders by producing a quarterly report on bulk wine prices and trends.


Grape Intelligence Reports

George Schofield Company, P. O. Box 170, St. Helena, CA 94574. PHONE: (707) 963-3333 FAX: (707) 963-1285. Each report is written for a specific winegrape variety and is published irregularly. The most current reports are "Cabernet Sauvignon 2000" and "Chardonnay 2000". Data are reported by growing region. Acres, production, average selling price are among the several statistics compiled in over 30 pages of text and graphical presentations.

 Symposia

It is in the best interest of anyone involved in the wine industry to understand the pressures that impact wine and grape prices. Fortunately, there are two or three symposia that are held annually that address such issues as economics, business, marketing and financing. These are listed below:

Unified Wine & Grape Symposium:
Presented by: American Society for Enology and Viticulture,
(530) 753-3142, and the
California Association of Winegrape Growers
(800) 241-1800.
When: January 27-29, 2009
Where: Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento

Wine Industry Financial Symposium:
Presented by the Wine Industry Symposium Group, (707) 261-8714. This symposium is held annually in the fall.
When: September 22 and 23, 2008
Where: Napa Valley Marriott

Vineyard Economics Seminar:
Presented by the Wine Industry Symposium Group, (707) 261-8714. This seminar is held annually in the spring.
When: May 19, 2008
Where: Napa Valley Marriott, Napa, California

MKF Research 2007 Executive Wine Summit: 

Presented by MKF, LLP, 899 Adams Street, Suite E, St. Helena, CA 94574 PHONE: (707) 963-9222. FAX: (707) 963-1379 http://www.mkf.com Features key industry panelists discussing the current issues facing the industry.
When: May 3-4, 2007
Where: The Villagio, Yountville, CA

  Short Courses and Educational Programs:

University of California at Davis Extension (UC Davis Extension):
This is a self-supporting, nonprofit organization funded by course fees, grants and contracts. It offers one to three day courses on the technical aspects of wine making and grape growing. College-level courses are offered in a distance learning format. Under "Areas of Study" click on Winemaking to see program descriptions and a complete list of both viticulture and enology courses. 

The web site describes all types of programs offered by UC Davis Extension including Concurrent Program courses (Open Campus) at UC Davis and Certificate Programs. To receive mailings of current course lists, including Agricultural Dateline and Courses in Winemaking, and announcements, or to enroll in a course, phone (800) 752-0881.

Sonoma State University, Wine Business Program: Students can receive a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis on wine business strategies. Professional development courses are available for people currently in the industry. This program is tightly linked to the local wine growing industry that provides funding support and winery internship opportunities. For more information phone (707) 664-2260.

Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa: Offers a Viticulture Management Career Certificate Program in which students are trained for employment as vineyard managers in North Coast wine grape production. Some courses are transferable to CSU. The college catalog and current schedule of classes are available on-line. For general information contact (707) 527-4011 or (800)-564-SRJC. SRJC, 1501 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401-4395.

• Additional Resources
  
  UC Davis Bookstore:

  The UC Davis Bookstore offers over 100 books on viticulture and enology. Texts range from the very general to the quite specific for both the inspired newcomer to the technically trained professional. A hardcopy "Viticulture Enology Book Catalog" is sporadically published. Click on the link above and go to the left side of the sceen. Click on "General Books" then "Viticulture and Enology". The Technical Book Staff can answer questions as well as take phone orders. For further information phone (530) 752-6846.
  

How do I find the grapevine nurseries that sell the clone or variety of winegrape that I am interested in planting?

The National Registry for Grape Varieties and Clones (NGR) provides user-friendly, single-site access to information on virtually all grape material in the U.S. The NGR contains a complete list of synonyms and naming discrepancies for the varieties available in the United States. Information on disease-testing (methods, dates, and cleanup procedures used) and identity verification is forthcoming and will fill a much-needed gap in existing databases. Sources for grapes described in the NGR will include the National Plant Germplasm System, Davis, California and Geneva, the FPS collection, the Pacific Northwest Grape Program, other university collections, and any nursery collections wishing to be included.

Foundation Plant Service (FPS), located on the UC Davis campus, is a grapevine importation facility with importation protocol overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA -APHIS). It performs custom disease testing and elimination services. FPS establishes and maintains Foundation source vines for the California Grapevine Registration and Certification Program which is administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. FPS offers custom services such as disease testing and elimination and importation (quarantine) of foreign and domestic grape selections. You may order a catalog from FPS of registered selections - cross referenced by nurseries - as well as other materials regarding clonal information. To learn more about the services offered by FPS, phone (530) 752-3590.

I want to find a buyer for the grapes I plan to grow. How do I learn what wineries are in Sonoma County (or anywhere else)?

Many wineries located in the county are members of the Sonoma County Vintners, phone (707)522-5840. If you grow grapes in Sonoma or Marin Counties, you may list your grapes for sale on the website of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Phone: (707) 522-5860. Grape buyers may also post desired varieties/tons. The Wines and Vines 2008 Annual Directory & Buyer's Guide lists wineries by state. Wineries in Canada and Mexico are also included. Information on wineries is available in a searchable format on a compact disk that includes mailing software for printing labels. The directory and disc can be purchased from Wines & Vines, phone (415) 453-9700.

I want to network! What grape and wine industry organizations are out there in Sonoma County?

This is a partial listing of local organizations that address promotion, marketing, technical, or issue-based aspects of farming grapes and selling wine. Many of the associations meet monthly. Some sponsor events for their membership as well as the public during the year.

Alexander Valley Winegrowers
Contact: 1-888-AVWINES (289-4637

California Association of Winegrape Growers
Contact: (800) 241-1800

Russian River Valley Winegrowers
Contact: (707) 521-2534.

Sonoma County Winegrape Commission
Contact: (707) 522-5860

Sonoma County Vineyard Technical Group
Contact: Rhonda Smith, UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor (707) 565-2621

Sonoma County Vintners
(707)522-5840

Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance
Contact: (707) 935-0803

United Winegrowers
Contact: Bob Anderson, (707) 433-7319