The 2021 crush totaled 3,877,584 tons, up 9.2% from the 2020 crush of 3,551,312 tons — revealing that the preliminary report was off by about 18,743 tons. Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 2,031,242 tons, up 11.5% from 2020. White wine varieties crushed totaled 1,600,508 tons, up 0.6% from 2020. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 137,976, up 225% from 2020, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 107,858, up 13.2% from 2020.
The Grape Crush Report includes the total number of tons crushed for concentrate production. In determining grape tonnage crushed for concentrate production, each processor was required to report the estimated equivalent tons of grapes crushed for grape concentrate. For the 2021 season, this total was 254,381 tons, 6.6% of the 2021 grape crush total. This report provides only the aggregate figure for grapes crushed for concentrate production and does not include information by district, type, or variety.
The 2021 average price of all varieties was $860.57, up 26.6% from 2020. Average prices for the 2021 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $1,071.69, up 34.5% from 2020; white wine grapes, $674.98, up 20.8% from 2020; raisin grapes, $291.41, up 16.3% from 2020; and table grapes, $182.92, up 14.5% from 2020.
Leading Grape Varieties & Districts
In 2021, Chardonnay continued to account for the largest percentage of the total tonnage crushed at 16.0%. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second largest percentage of the total crush at 15.3%. Raisin grape varieties crushed for wine accounted for 3.6% of the total crush and table varieties crushed for wine were 2.8% of the total crush.
District 13 (Madera, Fresno, Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties; and Kings and Tulare Counties north of Nevada Avenue (Avenue 192)), had the largest share of the State’s crush at 1,193,041 tons. The average price per ton in District 13 was $336.86.
Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price at $6,102.18 per ton, up 32.7% from 2020. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest average price at $2,681.50 per ton, up 11.1% from 2020.
The 2021 Chardonnay average price of $975.38 was up 17.6% from 2020 and the Cabernet Sauvignon average price of $1,662.07 was up 34.5% from 2020. The 2021 average price for French Colombard was $324.60, up 13.0% from 2020, while the Zinfandel average price was up 23.3% from 2020, at $645.47 per ton. For a detailed analysis of the Crush Report, read the March issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
