Every day, Spring Mountain Vineyard CEO Peter Ekman drives from his home just north of the Golden Gate Bridge to work in St. Helena. Many of the vineyards he used to see on his way up have disappeared in the last two years, leaving barren brown fields in their place.

Recoiling from a downturn in wine sales that’s created an oversupply of grapes, California grape growers have torn out tens of thousands of acres of vineyards. As the view on his daily drive became bleaker, Ekman started to wonder if the industry could have overcorrected.

Ekman — who has led Spring Mountain Vineyard through its post-wildfire revitalization under new ownership by a New York investment firm — has since authored a 16-page memo titled, “California’s Grape Surplus May Be Over.” Ekman’s analysis, set to be released this week, argues that growers have already removed enough vineyards to meet the lowered demand for wine.

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