New California Wine Edition is Released

Marquis Publishing, an affiliate of the Marquis Gallery announces the release of Marques Vickers' 2016 edition of "So You Think You Know California Wine?" The book identifies emerging wine production trends shaping the California industry. The concise illustrated edition profiles the largest twenty-seven California wine grapes tracking popularity and prominence.

Drawing on 2015 grape harvest data from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Vickers identifies a significant grape divide between the recognized premium wine regions of Napa and Sonoma and the lesser regarded bulk wine producers of California's Central Valley in both grape yields and values.

During 2015, California harvested 3.7 million tons of wine grapes. The Central Valley region produced 73% of the red and 70% of the white wine grapes. Although Napa accounts for less than 5% of red and 2% of white wine grapes, their values exceed over ten times the identical Central Valley varietal. Vickers' edition stresses how real estate valuation for plantable acreage directly influences wine pricing.

Chardonnay was the largest produced grape accounting for 16% of the overall yield, a remarkable evolution considering the grape constituted less than 2% of California's white grape production forty years ago (when the production statistics were initially published).

Cabernet Sauvignon remains the state's most lucrative grape and second largest produced. The Napa Valley concentrates 59% of its red grape production into Cabernet Sauvignon, which sells in excess of $6,000 a ton. This price is a striking contrast to the Central Valley where the identical grape sells for approximately $500 per ton.

Most of the premium wine regions experienced value increases on their grapes during 2015. However, production was down nearly 30% due to the California drought conditions. Paradoxically, the Central Valley region nearly equaled their 2014 yields. Overall, California's production declined 9% from the previous year.

The wine grapes that experienced the greatest decrease from 2014 included Muscat Blanc, Triplett Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Grenache, Chenin Blanc and Syrah. The largest registered increases were Symphony, Barbera, Rubired, Pinot Gris, Muscat of Alexandria, Burger and Petite Sirah. Many of these wines are used predominantly as blending grapes.

"So You Think You Know California Wine?" is an invaluable and unique reference tool for understanding California's wine evolution. The easily understandable language is ideal for serious novice buyers and knowledgeable collectors. Additional chapters focus on an in-depth Napa Valley profile, comparative monthly rainfall levels in Napa and Sonoma Counties since 2013, questionable wine industry labeling practices and a comparative regional measuring of wine juice values.

Production statistics become significant since growing decisions are oriented around evolving consumer tastes. Immediate cultivation adjustments are impossible. Grapevines require three years after planting before yielding fruit and have an average lifespan of 27 years. Many vines are replaced after this period due to declining production yields and financial depreciation considerations. If the production of a specific grape begins a steady decline, it is likely to continue so for an extended period. They are incrementally replaced by more lucrative or drought resistant grape varieties.

Author Marques Vickers is a wine broker who owns and operates WineScalper.com based on the Pacific Coast. The book is available in paperback and Kindle format through Amazon.com and Adobe pdf format through WineScalper.com. A companion video is viewable on YouTube and Vimeo.

To post a comment, you must register and login.