Q. I live in Eretz Yisroel where varied fruits are not available all year. Rather, they appear in the stores as they are harvested. Around now, after Shavuos, is when ripe sweet grapes are being sold, coincidentally when we are reading Parashas Shlach.
(Coincidentally, not incidentally, as Coincide = Co (Hashem) is inside. -- From the daily nuggets of Rav Refael Moshe Carlebach, may he have a quick refua sheleima.)
Can we make Shehecheyanu on new season grapes, since we drink wine all year? Similarly, can we make Shehecheyanu on oranges, since orange juice is available all year?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that since in developed countries, for the right price you can usually buy stored fruits in controlled atmosphere (nitrogen) and cold storage that look and taste fresh year round or imports at supermarkets all over. Therefore, there is no real inherent great simcha and joy when they appear in stores on their collection season. Additionally, Israel is in the forefront of growing fruits during all seasons. See article "Israeli experts develop grapes that grow all year round" (Ynet 4/4/2015 and others). This fruits often can be seen at weddings or other special banquet occasions during the whole year.
Adding to the above the fact you mentioned of the constant availability of wine and fruit juices the Rov's opinion is not to recite sheheyanu.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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