SACRAMENTO: California grape growers expected volumes to pick up in late August and early September.
Columbine Vineyards, Delano, Calif., reported unseasonably brisk demand in August and expected it to continue, said Anthony Stetson, sales manager.
“Demand has been very good, above average for this time of year. We’re typically down in the dog days of August.”
Extreme heat in the second half of August was slowing picking some, but Stetson expected volumes to begin returning to normal by the end of the week of Aug. 24.
J.P. Dulcich & Sons expected volumes to pick up at the end of August and beginning of September, said Nick Dulcich, owner.
“Volumes seem to be right around the corner from happening,” he said Aug. 24. “It’s kind of the calm before the storm.”
Supplies have been hit and miss all season, Dulcich said. Earlier in the deal, J.P. Dulcich was waiting on green varieties to add sugar. In the second half of August, red varieties were taking their time to add color.
“It’s been kind of an unpredictable year. It’s been in and out, and I can’t put my finger on why, whether it’s the weather or just the year.”
Demand was “decent to pretty good” the week of Aug. 24, Dulcich said, though he wished prices here higher. Exports were on the light side due to bad weather and currency rates, he said.
By Aug. 24 Columbine had just wrapped up its thompson deal and was beginning to harvest scarlet royals and its proprietary Milanos, a new green variety.
The company also was still shipping globes in late August, and expected autumn royals to begin shipping in volume about Sept. 7, Stetson said.
J.P. Dulcich’s top varieties heading into September included emeralds, scarlet royals, autumn royals and globes, Dulcich said. From mid-September to Halloween, the company expects to add Hobgoblins to the mix and run bi-color promotions at retail, he said.
The season got off to a strong start quality-wise with flames, sugraones and summer royals and was continuing into late summer, Stetson said.
“It’s been stellar. Even with the heat, we’ve had better size and quality for this time of year than we’ve had in the past.”
Despite the drought, volumes for Columbine in late summer should be very similar to past years, Stetson said.
“Water’s still an issue, but it seems that we have a good supply for this year.”
The following year could be another story, Stetson said, if California doesn’t benefit from the expected El Nino season and doesn’t get snowpack this winter.
