A series of 16 wildfires that initially began October 8, have consumed large areas of California’s wine growing regions in Yuba, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Butte and Lake counties, reports Brian German (Multi-Media Journalist, AgNet Media, Inc., Fresno, CA). More than 210,000 acres have burned in total, destroying approximately 8,400 structures as of October 25, Brian said. As the fires are now at least 90 percent contained, many of the area’s winemakers are faced with a variety of challenges. Reports are still coming in from wineries, making it difficult to get a clear picture of what kind of damage was caused by the fires. A statement from the president of the Fountaingrove District Winegrowers Association indicated at least eight vineyards totaling 90 acres of vines have been lost, with others in the area still unable to report. Brian continued, “More than 24 wineries in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties have been affected with damage ranging from partial singeing in vineyards to complete losses of structures and vines. Backbone Vineyard in Napa lost not only their vineyard, but also the last 5 years of vintages.” A lot of the destruction in the region was seen in the loss of buildings including the homes of the owners. “Vineyards fared better than structures as the vines served as a kind of firebreak due to the amount of moisture in the plants.” In Napa Valley, White Rock Vineyards and Signorello Estate saw significant levels of damage to their operations. Other wineries reporting varying levels of wreckage include Frey Vineyards, Michael Mondavi Family Estate, Roy Estate, Paradise Ridge, and several others. “When the fires began, roughly three-quarters of the wine grapes had already been picked, but much of the merlot and cabernet sauvignon crops remained on the vine. For vineyards that were not directly damaged by the flames, the fires still caused adverse effects.” Brian added, “The significant amount of smoke and ash in the air can make its way into wine grapes, having a direct impact on taste and quality. Depending on where grapes are in the ripening cycle, exposure to heavy smoke can pollute the taste in only 30 minutes. The taint from smoke has been described as having an ashtray, or campfire type of taste and aroma.” For winemakers who are finishing up harvest, they will be testing for any hints of smoke damage and discarding whatever has been tainted. “For the operations least affected by the fires, they are still suffering under a significant drop in tourism. Tasting rooms that would typically be filled with guests during the mild fall weather are empty or seeing far less traffic than a normal season. Wine tourism is one the major drivers of the local economy, which is why many industry organizations are urging visitors to keep their current reservations,” Brian explained.
WINE TASTING ROOMS REOPENING – Tasting rooms near the wildfires that have been able to reopen are seeing less than half their normal rate of visitors. The Wine Institute issued a statement encouraging people to not let the fires deter their plans to visit the North Coast wine region. “Most winery tasting rooms have reopened for business. People planning to visit should not cancel their trips. Now is the time to visit and support wine country,” the statement read. Many winemakers, growers and winery owners are contemplating what to do moving forward. Operations that suffered the most amount of vineyard damage may take five years for their vines to grow back. Vines that were only lightly burned or suffered heat-related damage could potentially rebound in the spring, but may be significantly weaker and eventually need to be replaced. “Recouping losses after replanting a vineyard can be a costly and time-consuming process. Each acre can cost between $25,000 and $75,000 to plant. It would require at least five years of growth before cabernet grapes will produce the quality that growers require and another two years before the wine produced can be sold. It would take approximately seven years before replanted acreage would start generating money. Estimates of the total damage caused by the wildfires range from $4 billion to $6 billion,” Brian said. “It will take several months before an official assessment can be made and it could potentially take years before the final numbers are tallied.” Multiple wine groups in the area, along with several other businesses have pledged donations to aid in recovery. E. & J. Gallo donated $1 million to wildfire relief. The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance announced that they will be contributing $1 for every bottle of wine that is sold from 50 wineries during the month of October. The Oakland Raiders also have contributed $1 million to the relief efforts. A group of winemakers and sommeliers are also holding fundraising events in New York and San Francisco. California has the highest number of wineries in the United States, followed by Oregon and Washington. According to groups representing winemakers, the most recent reports indicate the wine industry generates about $26 billion annually for Napa and Sonoma counties. Statewide, the industry contributed nearly $58 billion to the economy last year. Conditions in the area became so dire that California Governor Jerry Brown declared Yuba, Sonoma, and Napa counties disaster areas. “This is truly one of the greatest if not the greatest tragedy that California has ever faced,” said Governor Brown of the wildfires. “The devastation is just unbelievable, it’s a horror that no one could have imagined.” The fires spread at a rapid pace, aided by windy conditions with gusts of up to 51 mph. Approximately 100,000 people have been displaced by the fires. The fires also claimed the lives of 42 people, making it the most lethal fire event in California history. Officials have reported that firefighting crews will remain on the scene continuing to suppress what is still burning and ensure the area is safe for residents to return.
