California growers remove 47,229 vineyard acres
The 2026 Wine Grape Mapping Project reports that California had just over 439,000 vineyard acres remaining after 47,229 acres were removed from August 2025 through an unspecified August.
Two consecutive periods of removals
California wine grape growers removed 47,229 vineyard acres from August 2025 through August, according to the California Association of Wine Grape Growers’ 2026 Wine Grape Mapping Project. The source does not specify the year of the final August. Just over 439,000 acres remained under vine statewide after nearly 40,000 acres had also been removed during the preceding 12-month period.1
Demand and export pressure
The contraction comes as domestic wine demand has weakened and sales in Canada have fallen sharply. Canadian provinces removed US wine from government-run liquor-store shelves in March 2025 in response to American tariffs, according to the report.1
The Wine Institute said monthly US wine exports to Canada declined from nearly $40 million to slightly more than $5 million, a fall of almost 90%. A Silicon Valley Bank industry report cited by the source also found lower wine consumption among adults under 30 and said baby boomers had passed their peak consumption years.1
Fewer grapes under contract
Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers, said about half of the California wine grape crop described by the source as “this year’s” entered harvest without a purchase contract. The source does not specify the crop year. In a more typical year, he said, 70% to 80% would be contracted before harvest.1
Views within the industry differ on the acreage needed to rebalance supply and demand: some growers argue that California should retain at least 425,000 vineyard acres, while others believe stabilization requires a decline below 400,000 acres.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
