Vinetur reports that California’s wine industry may be moving closer to the opposite problem from the oversupply that has dominated recent years, after growers removed more than 38,000 acres of vines between October 2024 and August 2025. A further 40,000 acres could disappear by the end of 2026, potentially bringing productive vineyard acreage close to levels some industry figures believe could create shortages if wine demand stabilises or recovers. Spring Mountain Vineyard chief executive Peter Ekman argues that California could fall below the acreage needed to satisfy demand, although Allied Grape Growers president Jeff Bitter believes equilibrium may require fewer than 400,000 acres. Large stocks of unsold bulk wine continue to cushion the market, making the timing of any shortage uncertain, but industry participants warn that vineyards cannot be replanted and returned to full production quickly if supply eventually becomes tight.