Todd Fitchette
Chardonnay grapes remain one of the four-leading varietals grown in California. Of the more than 15 million wine grape vines sold in California for planting in 2020, nearly one-fourth of those were Chardonnay, which tied for first with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most popular planted varietals.
While COVID-19 quickly killed on-premise wine sales, the oversupply of grapes that growers flooded the markets with over the past decade was diminished.
Between the COVID-19 pandemic and California wildfires, the state's wine grape industry fared better than one might expect, though not all was worthy of a toast.
Wine industry insiders last year sounded alarms of oversupply and growth realities that did not match the optimism of a few years ago. Among those leading the call to significantly reduce supply was Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers in Fresno, Calif.