Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/528936
18 WINES&VINES July 2015 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS When it comes to filtering systems, the Padovan Cross Flow Filter is one of the best there is because it's fully automatic, making filtering a snap. ATP Mobile Services will bring that same filtering system to your winery. We'll set it up, filter your wine and do all the clean-up. Plus, we operate 24 hours, 7 days a week. No muss. No fuss. No worry. CONTACT ATP MOBILE SERVICES AT (707) 836-6840 OR CALL OUR 24 HR. HOTLINE (707) 331-2170; EMAIL US AT SERVICES@AMERICANTARTARIC.COM Easy. Easier. N ovato, Calif.—Wine grape buyers feel less urgency to close deals for North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, and quality standards have tightened, according to the Turrentine Outlook, an exhaustive survey of the market and supply for wine grapes and bulk wine. As Turrentine Brokerage sent its June 9 report to customers and subscribers, brokerage president Steve Fredricks provided Wines & Vines a peek at rare data for the parts of Cali- fornia's North Coast AVA. When wineries that use a Napa Valley or Sonoma County appellation cannot obtain the fruit they need at the right price, they often turn to Lake and Mendocino counties for the 15% out-of-appellation permitted to viticul- tural appellations or the 25% permitted to political appellations. That's the case at present, although after three above-average harvests in the North Coast, the market in Mendocino and Lake counties as well as parts of Suisun Valley in the North Coast appellation has softened, accord- ing to the Turrentine report. The next few years are likely to be a con- test between growth of consumer demand for Cabernet Sauvignon and increasing supply. Fredricks said most wineries that depend on Cabernet Sauvi- g n o n g r a p e s f r o m these secondary North Coast regions would want to sign long-term contracts if they could find the right quality and prices. Growers, however, will want to weigh the relative security of long-term contracts versus the upward potential—but greater risk—of the spot market. The spot market price for 2014 Lake and Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvi- gnon grapes increased 17% from the previous year's record, according to Turrentine. Growers would be wise to remember that the best grape customer is not always the one who pays the highest price: Yield, cultural re- quirements and financial stability are all criti- cal, Fredricks added. Significant acreage of Cabernet Sauvignon is being planted in Mendocino County, Lake County, Suisun Valley and other competitive regions, despite discouraging factors such as lack of water and environmental restrictions. As wineries try to increase case-good prices to cover increasing costs, they will also focus on maintaining or elevating quality and ratings to justify those price increases. That will probably lead to a wider range of prices for Mendocino County, Lake County and Suisun Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as growers and wineries (and brokers) choose the right grapes for their programs. Tons crushed for 2014 Lake County Caber- net Sauvignon were just 1% below the previous year's record, while Mendocino was 8% below last year, but near the five-year average. As for 2014 bulk wine, buying activity for North Coast bulk Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino County and Lake County has tapered, and values have dropped. The value of standard-quality North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon is between $12 and $15 per gallon. Learn more about Turrentine Outlook at turrentinebrokerage.com. —Paul Franson Turrentine: Winery Buyers Slow to Commit to North Coast Cabernet Steve Fredricks