Jessica Mendoza

Americans couldn't get enough of the pinots, the Zinfandels, and the Chardonnays that Sonoma is known for.

But this year, Sonoma County, along with the rest of California's renowned wine region, is drowning in troubles, from political pressure to cultural trends to the weather.

For John, it has meant the worst year he's had in a quarter century, with many of his grapes going unsold.

He stands to lose millions.

Oh, wow.

That pain is amounting to the worst period the California wine industry has faced since Prohibition.

As John put it... Too much wine, not enough drinkers.

Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power.

I'm Jessica Mendoza.

It's Thursday, December 4th.

Coming up on the show, why the cradle of American wine is in crisis.

Okay.

California wine accounts for roughly eight of every ten bottles made in the U.S.

And back in August, just as the harvest was starting, our colleague Laura Cooper found herself in the middle of a vineyard in Sonoma County.

There, she tasted Chardonnay grapes, warmed by the sun.

That's because beneath all that beauty and abundance is an industry in panic.

Why did you make this trip to Sonoma?

Just four years ago, in 2021, the California wine industry made an estimated $53.5 billion in retail sales.

It was the culmination of America's decades-long love affair with wine.

Yes, Paul Giamatti, two buddies road tripping through wine country.