California’s 2007 grape crush totaled 3,674,426 tons, up 5 percent from the 2006 crush of 3,488,871 tons, according to the Final Grape Crush Report released this week by the USDA-NASS, California field office.

Wine type grapes crushed, at 3,247,477, were up 4 percent from the previous year.

Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed, at 1,875,368 tons, up slightly from 2006. The 2007 white wine variety crush totaled 1,372,109 tons, up 9 percent from 2006. Tons crushed of raisin type varieties totaled 363,516, up 36 percent from 2006, and tons crushed of table type varieties totaled 63,433, down 26 percent from 2006.

California grape growers received prices in 2007 for red grapes and white wine grapes that were, on average, below the 2006 prices, while the prices received for table grapes and raisin grapes were, on average, above the 2006 prices. The 2007 average price of all varieties was $521.88, down 5 percent from 2006. Average prices for the 2007 crop by type were as follows: red wine grapes, $626.48, down 2 percent from 2006; white wine grapes, $481.59, down 4 percent from 2006; raisin grapes, $155.07, up slightly; and table grapes, $138.16, up slightly. These price levels have not been adjusted for inflation.

In 2007, Chardonnay accounted for the largest percentage of the total crush volume with 16.0 percent. Cabernet Sauvignon accounted for the second leading percentage of crush with 11.6 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 $3,251.05 per ton, up 7 percent from 2006. District 3 (Sonoma and Marin counties) received the second highest return of $2,081.27, up 5 percent from 2006. The 2007 Chardonnay price of $717.54 was down 5 percent from 2006, and the Cabernet Sauvignon price of $988.57 was up 4 percent from 2006. The 2007 average price for Zinfandel was $466.58, down 8 percent from 2006, while the Merlot average price was down 11 percent from 2006 at $592.42 per ton.

This final report includes all grape tonnage crushed during the 2007 season, as well as purchased tonnage and pricing information with final prices prior to January 10, 2008.

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