Ciatti California Report - November 2024

Call for samples; tariff discussion; crop round-up

Following an October that exhibited summer-like heat spells – including daytime temperatures of 105-106°F and night-times in excess of 75°F – California’s 2024 harvest was essentially complete by November 1st. As well as contributing to a busy end-of-season picking period – and, in turn, some short-term capacity constraints at wineries – the heat is likely to have reduced the final crop size, especially of those (mainly red) varieties still hanging when it arrived.

The crop’s size remains extremely difficult to gauge, owing to the high number of variables: A patchy performance across the state this year, the late heat, uncontracted grapes potentially going unpicked, and vineyard abandonments or removals. In the North Coast, Napa and Sonoma tonnages were down from the average; Mendocino and Lake tonnages were more in line. Cabernet appeared to have suffered one of the larger shortfalls in the North Coast, with Napa and Alexander Valley Cabernet potentially coming in 20-30% lighter than expected.