Wine Glut Forces Washington and California Vineyards to Dump Grapes Amid Industry Downturn

In the heart of Washington’s Red Mountain, one of the state’s most respected wine-growing regions, Sarah Goedhart stands in her family’s vineyard, Hedges Family Estate, watching a mechanical harvester shake ripe grapes from the vines. Instead of being collected for winemaking, much of the fruit is dumped onto the ground. Goedhart, who has managed nearly two dozen harvests as head winemaker, says this is the first year she has had to throw away so many grapes. The reason is simple: her cellar is already full with unsold wine from the previous two years.

This situation is not unique to Hedges Family Estate. Across Washington and other major wine-producing states, growers are facing a glut of unsold wine. The annual crush season, when grapes are typically harvested and processed into new vintages, has become a time of difficult decisions. Many winemakers are choosing to leave fruit unharvested or drop it to the ground because they have no space or market for more wine.

Goedhart explains that leaving grapes on the vine can expose plants to disease and fungus, so dropping them is sometimes necessary to protect future harvests. She says that while it is common to have one previous vintage aging in barrels during harvest, having two years’ worth is unprecedented for her operation. Sales at Hedges dropped 13 percent last year compared to the year before, forcing cuts in expenses and staff. The family has even started using personal assets to keep the business afloat.

The problem extends far beyond Washington. Natalie Collins, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, describes a similar crisis in California, the nation’s largest wine-producing state. She says the industry is experiencing one of its worst downturns in decades due to a combination of factors: global oversupply, declining demand for wine, increased competition from other beverages like beer, seltzers and non-alcoholic drinks, and concerns about alcohol’s health effects. Trade issues and tariffs have also hurt exports.

Collins notes that some California growers are removing vineyards altogether—a costly process that some try to avoid by abandoning their fields instead. This can lead to pest infestations that threaten neighboring properties.

On the East Coast, Chris King of the New York State Wine Grape Growers reports that several vineyards are close to shutting down. He describes a sense of loss as friends and neighbors who have invested their lives in winemaking face financial ruin.

The current oversupply means that much of this year’s high-quality fruit will never be made into wine. Industry insiders like Adam Schulz, who runs Incredible Bulk Wine Company in Washington, warn that if enough vineyards scale back or close, today’s surplus could turn into tomorrow’s shortage. As more growers leave grapes unharvested or abandon their land entirely, there may come a point when supply drops below demand.

For now, most consumers are unlikely to notice immediate changes on store shelves or in prices. But if these trends continue, experts say the effects could eventually reach beyond growers and winemakers to impact wine lovers across the country.