The 2010 California grape crush totaled 3,980,229 tons, down 3 percent from the 2009 crush of 4,095,297 tons, according to a preliminary report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service Field Office in Sacramento, Calif.

Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 2,047,766 tons, down 1 percent from 2009. The 2010 white wine variety crush totaled 1,535,133 tons, down 6 percent from 2009. 

Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 273,577, down 11 percent from 2009, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 123,753, up 46 percent from 2009.

The 2010 average price of all varieties was $543.03, down 5 percent from 2009.

Average prices for the 2010 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $625.19, down 7 percent from 2009; white wine grapes, $500.37, down 7 percent from 2009; raisin grapes, $209.32, up 22 percent; and table grapes, $173.81, up 21 percent.

In 2010, Chardonnay accounted for the largest percentage of the total crush volume with 16.4 percent. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second leading percentage of crush with 11.2 percent of the total crush. The next eight highest percentages of grapes crushed were all wine varieties, with the exception of Thompson Seedless.

Grapes produced in District 4 (Napa County) received the highest average price of $3,243.66 per ton, down 5 percent from 2009. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest return of $2,008.43, down 8 percent from 2009. 

The 2010 Chardonnay price of $715.22 was down 6 percent from 2009. The Cabernet Sauvignon price of $1,024.86 was down 5 percent from 2009.

The 2010 average price for Zinfandel was $441.42, down 5 percent from 2009. The Merlot average price was down 2 percent from 2009 at $612.48 per ton.

This preliminary report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2010 season, plus purchased tonnage and pricing information with final prices prior to Jan. 10, 2011.

The final Grape Crush Report will be available March 10, 2011.

The entire Grape Crush Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov/ca.