California grapes oversupplied - US wines at a low price for the first time in five years

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

米国産ワイン、５年ぶりの安値に　カリフォルニア州のブドウが供給過剰

2020.02.17 Mon posted at 15:21 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 米カリフォルニア州でワイン用ブドウの生産が過剰になり、需要減退と相まって、ワインの値段は５年ぶりの安さになる見通しだ。安値は最大で３年続くという予想もある。

ワイン業界の動向に関する年次報告書をまとめたロブ・マクミラン氏は米国のワインについて、「過去２０年で最も買い得になる」と予想した。

カリフォルニア州北部では２０１６年、広大な面積の畑に新しいブドウの木が植樹され、収穫の手段も効率化が進んでブドウの収穫量が増えた。

半面、生産量の増加を支えられるだけのワイン需要はなく、余ったブドウが廃棄されている。

ブドウ生産者団体の代表ジェフ・ビター氏によると、供給過剰の主な原因は、ここ数年にわたってワイン出荷量の伸びが鈍化していたところへ、２０１８年のワイン用ブドウの豊作が重なったことだった。ワインの出荷量は２０１５年まで２０年間増え続けており、減速は業界にとって予想外だった。

カリフォルニア州の生産者は、市場の均衡を保つため、ワイン用ブドウの栽培面積縮小を余儀なくされる。まずナパから始まって、州内の主な優良種産地で調整に踏み切る予定だという。ブドウの価格が安定するまでには少なくとも２～３年はかかると見込んでいる。

業界団体のＩＷＳＲによると、米国ではリカー類や飲みやすいカクテル類の消費量が増える中、ワインの消費量は２５年ぶりに減少に転じた。

マクミラン氏は、「これまで３０年の間ワイン販売を押し上げてきたベビーブーマー世代は、いつまでも生きているわけではない」と指摘。ワインの値段が下がれば、まだあまりワインに親しんでいないミレニアル世代（１９８０～９０年代生まれ）の消費量が増えるかもしれないと期待を寄せている。

Translation

(CNN)  In California of the US  there was an overproduction of wine grapes; coupled with a drop in demand, a fall in wine price was expected for the first time in five years. Some estimates suggested that the low would last up to three years.

Rob McMillan, who compiled an annual report on the trend of the wine industry, predicted that US wine could be "the best bargain in the past 20 years."

In northern California, large vines were planted in a large area in 2016, harvesting methods had become more efficient, and grape yield had increased.

On the other hand, there was not enough wine demand to support the increase in production, and excess grapes were discarded.

According to Jeff Bitter, the head of grape growers, the oversupply was largely due to the slow growth of wine shipments over the past few years, as well as repeated abandon harvests in wine grapes in 2018.  Wine shipments had been growing for 20 years until 2015, and the slowdown was unexpected for the industry.

California producers were forced to reduce their wine grape cultivation area in order to balance the markets. It was said the plan was to start with Napa, and then plunged into making adjustments at the main high-quality breed growing area in the state. It was expected that it might take at least a few years before grape prices stabilized.

According to industry group IWSR, wine consumption saw a reversal as it began to decline for the first time in 25 years due to increased consumption of liquors and easy-to-drink cocktails in the United States.

McMillan pointed out that "the baby boomers, which have been boosting wine sales for 30 years, is not going to live forever." Hopefully, if wine prices fell, millennials (born in the 1980s and 1990s) who were not very familiar with wine might consume more.

          So, the price of wine grapes in California should be cheaper in the coming few years. If this is the case,  I shall try more California red wine with my friends.