From the Fields

Winegrape harvest here on the Central Coast is just around the corner. In fact, we started picking some varieties last week in some locations. The crop looks to be average. So far, we haven't been affected by any smoke from the fires down this way, which is a good thing. The quality of our fruit looks pretty good. We don't have any real mildew or rot issues right now, so we're just gliding into the finish line before harvest.

Growers are aware of ongoing water supply issues. We're getting to the end of the line and for the most part, wells are holding up here, but of course we're concerned. We're certainly hoping for a big, wet year next year, like everybody. We are all working through our various Sustainable Groundwater Management Act groundwater sustainability plans as that deadline approaches in late December.

The COVID outbreak affected higher-end bottles of wine served in restaurants. If people aren't going to restaurants, they're not drinking wine. That segment of the industry was hit pretty hard by COVID. It was just starting to come out of that as things opened up and people were going out to restaurants again, and now it's sort of a question mark of where are we going with this COVID thing. Restaurants are still open, but you get a little nervous at this point. The restaurant closures certainly do affect us and the prices for grapes.

Overall, I think the grape market is better. The large supply of wine in tanks has diminished, so wineries are out there looking for other fruit, and that's a good thing. It helps drive up the price for grapes.