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California farmers are struggling to sell grapes as demand for wine drops

389 points · 987 comments · randycupertino

  1. programmertote · · focus · HN ↗
    Not sure how the extra supply for grapes affect retail prices of grapes for regular consumption. But at Costco in Southern CA, the price of grapes have been fairly stable (~$5.99 - $7.99) over the last year or a little more.
    1. Starman_Jones · · focus · HN ↗
      California’s wine grapes (vitis vinifera) aren’t suitable for eating. Some varieties (vitis labrusca) can be used for table grapes or wine grapes, but those aren’t really grown in California.
      1. MassPikeMike · · focus · HN ↗
        Everyone says this, but here's a sample of size 1: some years ago I was at a Sonoma winery during harvest season, reached my hand through a fence, grabbed a bunch of grapes and ate them. They were delicious.

        Did I just get lucky? Anyone else do this?

        1. ac29 · · focus · HN ↗
          I've eaten wine grapes and while they taste... winey? I also quite like them
        2. dehrmann · · focus · HN ↗
          The issues are they likely have seeds, might not travel or store as well, and are smaller than consumers are used to. There's also already a supply of table grapes you'd be competing with. To your experience, if they're ripe, they'll taste sweet and grapey. They're not that different.
          1. asdff · · focus · HN ↗
            They taste so different than the grapes in the grocery store they might as well be a different fruit entirely imo. So much better. Sweeter. Berry or stone fruit like. Almost floral. The vintners are seriously holding out on us. Yes there are seeds, but that is the price you pay for the finest grape you will ever feast upon. You go back to a store bought "red seedless" it taste like a sad old cantaloupe in comparison.
            1. 1718627440 · · focus · HN ↗
              I mean that's the case with basically every fruit. The modern variants are larger, shelf-able for longer, while the older ones are smaller, but taste way better.
      2. blueg3 · · focus · HN ↗
        Labrusca makes terrible wine, it's too foxy. There are some hybrid varieties that make okay wine.

        Vinifera makes a perfectly fine table grape and grape juice, depending on the varietal.

        For example, Thompson Seedless, an incredibly common table grape, is vinifera.

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