File photo shows crushed grapes being loaded during processing at a Central Valley winery. California’s grape crush fell 24.1% from 2023 to 2024.
California’s wine industry is selling less wine and processing fewer grapes, while production among some of the Central San Joaquin Valley’s wineries has also changed in recent years.
A comparison of data collected from local wineries by The Business Journal from before the pandemic with the 2026 rankings shows a mix of increases and decreases in reported production. Quady Winery and Cru Winery remain the two largest producers on the list, while Moravia Winery has increased production and moved up in the rankings.
Top producers, mixed results
Quady Winery in Madera reported production of 319,500 gallons on the latest list. The winery has ranked No. 1 on Business Journal winery lists for several years.
Its latest production is up about 12% from 2018 but down about 16% from 2019, when it reported its highest production among the years reviewed.
Cru Winery in Madera remains No. 2 on the list. Its reported production has decreased about 20% from 2018 to 47,560 gallons on the latest list.
Moravia Winery in Fresno reported 5,000 gallons on the latest list, up about 24% from 2019. It moved from No. 7 to No. 5.
Production at Toca Madera Winery in Madera changed little over the same period. The winery reported 6,000 gallons on the latest list, about 3% below its 2019 production. It moved from No. 5 to No. 4.
Crush falls sharply
The changes come as California wineries face lower wine consumption and reduced demand for grapes.
California crushed nearly 3 million tons of grapes in 2024, down 24.1% from nearly 4 million tons in 2023, according to California Department of Food and Agriculture figures. The average price paid for California grapes fell 2.9%.
Business Journal reporter Frank Lopez reported on the falling grape crush and prices in 2025, including the effects of weaker wine demand on growers and wineries.
The Central Valley plays a major role in the state’s grape industry. District 13, which includes Fresno and Madera counties, accounted for 907,220 tons of the 2024 crush, more than any other California grape-growing district.
Sales decline by volume
Wine sales have also declined by volume. The 2026 BMO Wine Market Report found the value of the U.S. wine market increased 3% to more than $115 billion in 2025 even as the amount of wine sold continued to fall.
Lopez reported on the continued decline in U.S. wine consumption in June, including the nearly 25% drop in the amount of California wine entering the U.S. market over the past decade.
The slowdown has affected other Valley wine businesses. Stefanelli Distributing Co., a longtime Fresno wine distributor, announced its closure in 2025. Company officials cited declining wine consumption and an oversupply of wine among the industry conditions contributing to the decision.
The Business Journal rankings do not explain why production changed at individual wineries. Sales, production decisions and other factors could affect the totals.
The rankings also depend on survey participation. Not every winery responds each year, so a winery’s absence from a list does not mean it closed or reduced production.
The available data shows that production has moved in different directions among Valley wineries as California’s wine industry faces lower sales volume and a smaller grape crush.
By the numbers
319,500 gallons: Quady Winery’s latest reported production.
12%: Approximate increase in Quady’s reported production from 2018.
16%: Approximate decline in Quady’s reported production from 2019.
47,560 gallons: Cru Winery’s latest reported production.
20%: Approximate decline in Cru’s reported production from 2018.
5,000 gallons: Moravia Winery and Event Center’s latest reported production.
24%: Approximate increase in Moravia’s reported production from 2019.
6,000 gallons: Toca Madera Winery’s latest reported production.
3%: Approximate decline in Toca Madera’s reported production from 2019.
24.1%: Decline in California’s grape crush from 2023 to 2024.
907,220 tons: Grapes crushed in District 13 in 2024.
Nearly 25%: Decline in California wine entering the U.S. market over the past decade, according to the 2026 BMO Wine Market Report.
