A Short Crop Gets Shorter
The heat spike over the last week has compounded the effects of the already- light crop, resulting in lower yields throughout the Central Coast. We’ve heard that parts of Monterey County are down as much as 50%, and Santa Barbara County is estimated to be 30-40% down. As one winery buyer stated, the heat “blowtorched” grapes on the vine, leaving exposed fruit shriveled and desiccated. As Paso Robles starts picking its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, we are expecting that yields will be lower than expected as well.