SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. —

Overripe and shriveled grapes are filling vineyards across San Joaquin County due to a lack of buyers, leaving local winemakers with a sour taste this season.

"It's never been this bad," said Bill Stokes, owner of Stokes Vineyards."How can it get any worse?"

The first problem facing winemakers is demand, Stuart Spencer, executive director for the Lodi Winegrape Commission, explained.

"After 30 years of growth, we've seen negative wine consumption in the past three years." Stokes echoed this sentiment, stating, "I don't think the consumers are drinking as much wine as they used to," Spencer said.

Another issue is the supply, Spencer noted.

"We've seen a lot of cheap imports coming in. And some of the largest wine companies that are rejecting these vineyard

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