Nick Dulcich of Pretty Lady Vineyards called this one of the earliest California grape season starts he's ever seen. Unusually, red grapes arrived first this year — running about two weeks ahead of last year — while green varieties are still catching up, a reversal of the typical seasonal pattern.
The supply picture from Mexico was already thin heading into summer, so California's early arrival provides some relief. However, with flavor quality still lagging behind visual maturity, the market is navigating a nuanced situation where volume is available but readiness is uneven across varieties.
Buyers covering grape programs should stay in close contact with shippers on variety-by-variety eating quality updates — the window between visual and flavor maturity could be shorter than expected if temperatures remain elevated.