America's Wine Epicenter Has Been Dealt a Serious Blow

Vines in California's wine country are being torched, not by wildfire, but intentionally—because the numbers no longer work. With Americans drinking less and shifting to canned cocktails, seltzers, and nonalcoholic options, US wine sales have hit a 20-year low, leaving so many bottles unsold that some growers say it's cheaper to let grapes wither than pick them. The New York Times travels to Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands, where longtime grower Jason Smith watched workers rip out and burn his pinot noir vines as part of his decision to sell off land and shut down his 51-year-old family business. "There's literally no way for me to make money," he said.

California, which produces roughly 80% of US wine, is in a sharp reset, with red wines taking the bigger hit. Pinot noir—rocketed to fame by 2004's Sideways—is now suffering a steep comedown: Production has fallen by about a third since 2021, and many post-boom plantings are being pulled. Statewide, growers removed some 38,000 acres of vines last year, accounting for about 7% of the total; an estimated half a million tons of grapes were not harvested. Producers are experimenting with lighter, lesser-known whites, while experts tell the Times the expectation is that things will "bottom out" within the next two years. Read the full story here.