(Fox40) - Lodi grape farmers say 2014’s smaller harvest could mean a more stable price – something they said they need because 2012 and 2013 produced a record amount of grapes.

Farm hands at Harney Lane Winery prunes rows and rows of grapevines which will be turned into wine and a profit for owner Kyle Lerner.

“To see those crop levels, those numbers come down slightly, I think kind of gives everyone a nice sigh of relief,” Kyle Lerner, the Owner of Harney Lane Winery in Lodi explained.

Lerner referred to the USDA’s preliminary “Grape Crush Report” for California. The numbers show the Lodi area produced 17 percent fewer grapes in 2014 than in 2013.

“It’s actually great for the industry because it kind of brings back into balance. We’ve had two very large crop years,” Lerner said.

According to the report, prices also dropped by an average of 3-percent for wine grapes.

“Long-term it will help stabilize pricing. We saw prices drop a little bit in this year from the previous large crops,” Stuart Spencer, the Program Manager for Lodi Winegrape Commission said.

Lerner told FOX40, the lighter yield could mean more of a profit for growers.

“We’re a supply-and-demand chain and so if inventories are there, buyers aren’t coming knocking on your door’s as frequently,” Lerner said.

And what growers claim is a more fair price for their product which may result in a slightly pricier bottle of wine.

“Hopefully within this year and next year things will kind of be nicely back in balance,” Spencer said.

The Lodi Wine Grape Commission said Lodi’s hallmark variety is Zinfandel and that crop was extremely light this past year.