Napa County Sees Record-Setting Year In Winegrape Production: Ag Report

NAPA COUNTY, CA — The total value of Napa County's winegrape crop in 2023 was $1.24 billion, up by 35.2 percent or $3.14 million from the previous year — setting a new record, County Agricultural Commissioner Tracy Cleveland said Tuesday as she released the latest Napa County Agricultural Crop Report during the Board of Supervisors meeting.

The gross value of all Napa County agricultural production totaled $1.28 billion — a 35.1 percent increase from the previous year. This growth underscores the growing demand for locally sourced vegetables, particularly in restaurant markets.

Top wine grape varieties

Last year, the top three varieties in total value were Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot.

• Approximately 92,847 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon (25,000 acres) were harvested and sold at an average price of $9,235 per ton.
• Chardonnay (5,628 acres) exceeded Merlot (3,632 acres) by 1,996 bearing acres, but sold at $1,026 less per ton on average.
• Merlot production was 12,300 tons, valued at an average of $4,716 per ton.
• Chardonnay production of 22,683 tons was valued on average at $3,690 per ton.

Together, they accounted for approximately 75 percent of all production and 83 percent of the total winegrape value.

Wine grape production

Total winegrape production increased by approximately 39,670 tons or 30.2 percent from 2022. The total winegrape tonnage for the 2023 crop (170,814 tons from 46,245 bearing acres) was 16.7 percent higher than the previous 10-year average of 146,402 tons, and the total winegrape value was 61.2 percent higher than the previous 10-year average.

• ALSO SEE: 2023 Predicted To Be Vintage Of A Lifetime In Napa Valley

The average price paid per ton for all winegrapes was $7,051, a 3.8 percent increase from 2022. In 2023, the highest average price paid for a major Napa County winegrape variety was $10,633 per ton for Cabernet Franc. There were 1,224 bearing acres of Cabernet Franc in 2023.

Value of other crops and livestock

Olive production increased by 193 tons despite the continued presence of olive fruit flies; many growers reported substantially higher harvested acres and total tonnage in 2023 than the previous year.

Total livestock and poultry values were down by $427,600 and field crops were $36,100 less than the previous year. The livestock industry remained stable in 2023. In cattle, we observed a rise in cow and calf operators and a decrease in cattle designated for meat production. Because rangeland production remained stable in 2023, cow and calf production saw a small increase. The overall dollar value of the cattle and calves fell slightly from $1.08 million in 2022 to $988,000 in 2023. Sheep and lamb production remained consistent — $391,00 in 2022 compared to $395,000 in 2023 — as these animals continue to be used by vineyard operators as vegetation control.

Napa County saw a decline in poultry and other animal product production due to some producers retiring, ceasing or reducing operations, with the dollar value of poultry/other animal products falling from $596,000 in 2022 to $242,000 in 2023.

The vegetable production in Napa County experienced notable growth and increased value, due to the success of local certified producers and a rise in sales directly to local restaurants. This growth underscores the growing demand for locally sourced vegetables, particularly in restaurant markets.

Vegetable crop values were $94,500 higher last year with a slight increase in harvested acreage. Crops included artichokes, arugula, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, edible flowers, eggplants, endive, fennel, garlic, gourds, greens, herbs, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, microgreens, okra, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rhubarb, rutabaga, spinach, squash, tomatillos, tomatoes and turnips.

The floral and nursery production area was 283,600 square feet and the total value was $151,900 and both were up from last year. This is primarily due to a surge in small family farms cultivating cut flowers, cacti and succulents. Other crops included lavender, ornamental nursery stock, trees vegetable starts.

Pest exclusion and pest detection activities

County staff completed 63,962 pest detection traps servicing, looking for pests that could harm the county's agriculture and natural ecosystems. The team continued to survey for glassy-winged sharpshooters of all life stages this year, inspecting 2,789 plant shipments for GWSS and other invasive pests.

Other Highlights

This year's crop report includes an article on the Neighborhood Alliance for Vineyard Protection (NAViP). The report also highlights several staff retirements and the Napa County 4-H Youth Development Program.

The cover art, "Poppy Field," is by Evelyn Sosa, a Pope Valley Elementary School eighth-grader. Evelyn's piece was selected as the winning entry of this year's Crop Report Cover Artwork Contest. Second place went to Jessica Hernandez and third place was awarded to Karolina Becerra.

See the report below (click on the sidebar to move within the document).

The report is also available online, at county libraries and at the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.