California wineries imported 68 million gallons of foreign bulk wine in 2022. And you wonder why the wine market is going through hard times here. Really an eye-opening view from Lodi: IMPORTED FOREIGN BULK WINE: THE DIRTY SECRET NO ONE IN CALIFORNIA WINE IS TALKING ABOUT | Lodi Growers
Yeah, just ending that would eliminate the problems for US growers and wineries. And look at that list - only the 10 biggest supermarket wine producers out there… 
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I’ve stayed away from buying “American” labeled wine for this reason. I felt it was rife for blending in whatever.
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I know people who’ve sold grapes to Gallo and others for years. Their contracts, particularly for red grapes, aren’t being renewed. But to learn it’s because they’re importing cheaper juice is really a slap in the face to the California growers.
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Bulk shipping by ocean freighter is dirt cheap. Labor at US rates to pick, not so cheap, and pickers are in short supply.
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I am not one who believes in more regulations but maybe we need better labeling laws where they actually have to indicate what portion came from what other country.
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Yes in many countries 15 percent before it impacts labeling.
This makes perfect sense, those box brands are incredibly price sensitive, going up even a $1.00 will kill a brand like that. It’s a consumer problem too. How often do people choose an inferior imported product over a domestic one just to save 5%? Especially if the quality difference is negligible.
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That would be a good start for us Kent. But how much would it actually impact consumer behavior at the very lowest pricing tier?
How about laws that tell you how much of the “Napa” Cabernet came from Lodi?
Or how much of that Napa “Cabernet” is Cabernet?
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This has been happening since before prohibition, there are accounts then of European wines being shipped and blended into California wines.
I’m curious where this bulk wine is coming from. Mexico? South America? Australia? The latter would make sense since their entire wine production industry was crushed by China blocking them. Huge oversupply.
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Yep. Same issue. There is no disclosure. They just follow the 75/85/95 labeling rules in CA. Some call out mixed locations and varieties voluntarily, but only when it shines a positive light.
This too. Unfortunately the average consumer that is buying these cheap wines has no idea what they are really drinking
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Nor do they care I suspect.
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This
To be fair, there are some shortages on certain varieties that don’t make sense to grow in the US from a labor standpoint - mostly inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Reading that article, it makes sense from a purely one to one standpoint of remove this and replace that. Lodi grapes, even at $600/ton is $3.75 a gallon fruit cost - before an additional cost of processing - also higher in US. The cost of the same foreign import is less than a 1/4 of that. Not saying it’s right, but the economics for brands at the lower end of the scale is a tough one for margins.
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France is dumping wine, growers are ripping out vines from Australia to Lodi. At some point the market will return to balance and the Wine Groups and Gallos will want Lodi fruit that won’t exist. Or it will all be wine-flavored beverages made in China.
Actually just dawned on me that the big wineries might be taking a long view. They cut the legs off the local growers, driving down vineyard prices so they can buy them cheaply and control the whole process.
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I can understand Stuart’s frustrations (from the article link). There is amazing wine coming out of Lodi. I mourn the fact that more people have yet to experience and recognize it!
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Related from the LA Times (via Yahoo):
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