A Narrowing Window by Steve Fredricks The California wine market has now entered a new phase of its correction cycle—one that is more nuanced and, for buyers, may be more consequential than the headlines suggest. The defining theme of this season is a narrowing window: a market that looks oversupplied on the surface but is quietly closing in on buyers who delay. While bulk wine gallons on the market have climbed to record levels, the number of gallons that meet buyers’ quality, vintage, and varietal needs are more limited. Vineyard removals are accelerating, not as a bluff or a paper exercise, but as a real reduction in the state’s long-term supply potential. At the same time, an unusually warm spring has pushed the 2026 growing season weeks ahead of schedule in virtually every region—compressing the calendar in ways that could catch an under-prepared buyer off guard. On the bulk side, sellers’ need for cash and/or tank space may expedite decisions to liquidate wine removing good bulk

Your Next Pinot Program Could Start Here Cool-climate Pinot Noir sourcing is already underway, and this 2026 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir offering stands out as a premium opportunity for wineries looking to secure fruit from one of California’s most respected Pinot-growing regions. Known for its coastal influence, fog-driven mornings, and extended growing season, the Sonoma Coast consistently produces Pinot Noir with vibrant acidity, layered red fruit, and elegant structure — a style highly sought after for premium programs and expressive vineyard-designate wines. As wineries continue planning future vintages and locking in vineyard sources, listings like this provide timely access to high-demand Pinot Noir fruit before availability tightens deeper into the season. View Listing Secure Sonoma Coast Pinot Before Harvest Nears As wineries continue planning for the 2026 vintage, early vineyard sourcing conversations are already gaining momentum — especially for high-demand varietals like Pino

Heritage Vineyard. Proven Fruit. Now available: Robert Young fruit — an opportunity to source grapes from one of Sonoma County’s most respected and historic vineyard families. The Robert Young name is closely tied to quality, consistency, and vineyard stewardship, with a long-standing reputation for producing fruit that has supported premium wines for decades. For wineries looking to align with a trusted vineyard source, opportunities like this don’t come around lightly. As vineyard sourcing decisions continue to take shape, listings like this offer a chance to secure pedigree fruit early and build future vintages around proven vineyard performance. View Listing The WIN Marketplace is built to connect buyers and sellers across the wine industry, and listings like this highlight how the platform helps wineries secure grapes from trusted, well-established vineyard sources. With a reputation for quality and consistency, fruit from recognized vineyard families offers winemakers a strong f

Four 2026 Napa Valley Grape Listings from One Source This month’s featured grape offerings bring together four red varietals from the same seller, giving wineries a focused opportunity to explore multiple lots through one point of contact. From the bold color and structure of Petite Sirah and Petite Verdot to the depth, lift, and blending flexibility of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this collection offers winemakers a practical way to build or refine a 2026 red wine program with intention. Whether you’re sourcing fruit for a standalone bottling, strengthening a Bordeaux-style blend, or planning ahead for the coming harvest, these listings provide a strong starting point for conversations around availability, fit, and program needs. Cabernet Franc An expressive red variety that can bring lift, aromatics, and finesse to blends or standalone bottlings. View Listing Petite Verdot A classic blending variety with color, tannin, and aromatic intensity for Bordeaux-style program

2025 Dry Creek Valley — Cabernet Sauvignon This excellent bulk wine listing features over 8,600 gal. of 2025 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Lytton Manor Vineyard, a site known for its certified organic farming and deep-rooted commitment to sustainable viticulture. Grown in one of Sonoma County’s most sought-after Cabernet regions, this offering reflects the balance, structure, and varietal purity that Dry Creek Valley is known for — delivering fruit well-suited for premium standalone bottlings or strategic blending programs. Backed by a long-standing reputation for quality and consistency, Lytton Manor Vineyard provides both pedigree and transparency, with direct access to availability details and grower insights through the listing. Whether you’re sourcing fruit for your core program or exploring new vineyard partnerships for the future, this is an opportunity to secure Cabernet Sauvignon from a trusted and proven source: View Listing Good Wine

The later-than-usual release of the Grape Crush Report had everyone doing what this industry does best: guessing. And when the number finally dropped, it landed somewhere between “not great” and “not nearly low enough to matter.” At approximately 2.6 million tons, the 2025 crush came in higher than most had hoped, and, more importantly, higher than many believe the market actually needs. The Facts: What the Crush Report Tells Us Data released by the California Department of Food and Agriculture shows that the 2025 grape crush totaled approximately 2.6 million tons. That represents a decline of just over 8% from the prior year and marks the smallest crop since the late 1990s. On the surface, that’s a meaningful shift. After several years where production consistently exceeded 3 million tons, supply is clearly beginning to respond. But the details matter. Key premium varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir all declined, while certain

2.62: A Historic Reset by Steve Fredricks  The release of the preliminary 2025 California Crush Report confirms an evolutionary shift in the state’s wine landscape. With the total crop recorded at 2.62 million tons, the industry has hit its lowest production level since 1999. This marks the second consecutive small harvest, resulting in a staggering one-million-ton decrease in tons harvested compared to just two years ago. For the consumer market, this translates to roughly 73 million fewer cases available between the 2023 and 2025 vintages, reflecting a deliberate, industry-wide effort to bring wine production back into balance with current demand.  The impact of this contraction was felt most acutely in California’s interior regions. While coastal areas saw a 51,000-ton decrease compared to 2024, the interior experienced a much sharper drop of 170,000 tons. This disparity highlights a significant trend: acreage is being removed from production at a higher rate

March 13, 2026 (Novato, CA) — Following the release of the Preliminary 2025 California Grape Crush Report, Turrentine Brokerage, the largest California grape and bulk wine brokerage company, has issued a market assessment characterizing the 2025 vintage as one of the most challenging for the wine industry since Prohibition. According to the new state data, the total tons crushed came in at 2.62 million tons, a figure that is above initial projections and well above what was felt by the industry. This statewide volume is 8% below 2024 and 23% below the 5-year average. Total red wine production declined by 9% and white wine production declined by 6%. “The decrease in tons is still very positive news for the industry overall,” said Steve Fredricks, President at Turrentine Brokerage. “The 2025 vintage highlights the industry’s directional shift of declining production and an overall restructure of the industry. 2025 represented continued challenges for grower

California’s smallest winegrape crush since 1999 March 13, 2026 — The California Department of Food & Agriculture’s Preliminary Grape Crush Report for 2025 was released today, March 13th. The winegrape crush of 2,623,443 tons was down 8.4% versus 2.866 million tons in 2024 and the smallest since 2.617 million tons in 1999, but above the Ciatti Company’s guesstimate of 2.4 million tons. The final tonnage, although lighter than 2024, was perhaps slightly higher than many expected. This may be an indication that yields were larger than anticipated, as there was a significant portion of unpicked grapes. Some observations: The harvest in District 4 (Napa) was down overall by 2.2%, with Cabernet Sauvignon down slightly by 1.4%. Cabernet production was down 4.8%, with a total of 432,666 tons in 2025 versus 454,606 tons in 2024. Chardonnay production was down 7%, totaling 491,036 tons versus 527,798 tons in 2024. Pinot Noir production was down 12.9%, totaling 189,84

Papapietro Perry Winery and Four Roses Bourbon Take Top Honors (March 6, 2026) — Winners have been announced in the fifth annual Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. A pinot noir from Papapietro Perry (Sonoma County, Calif.) and a small batch bourbon from Four Roses Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) topped their fields to be named Best of the Best. The competition was established in 2022, in conjunction with Los Angeles-based beverage professionals (representing both the on- and off-premise channels), to highlight the best of the best wine and spirits producers in the world, and to introduce those producers to the largest market of consumers in the United States. Judging took place February 18-19, 2026. Competition this year was stellar, says event producer Debra Del Fiorentino of Wine Competitions Management & Production: “Year after year, our judges continue to be impressed with the depth in each category. The quality of product was fantastic!” Wh