Tragedy for the Grapes, Tragedy for the People

I can't write about a grape today. I've seen too many live videos of what is going in Napa Valley wine country. I have friends there. These are people who work in wine country. Some are proprietors; others are simply wine lovers who work at wineries as operations people, tasting room hospitality people, or winemakers. 

If you've been otherwise distracted from this news by other news, this has not to do with COVID or the election or sports -- some of the things that I have seen occupying the news. This is about people.

California is wildfire country. In much of the state, the summers are dry to the point of frequently having no precipitation at all. While this is great for producing the big, bold wines that Napa Valley in particular is known for, it also makes the area prone to fires. And, because when those fires start, there is virtually nothing but flammable plant life and scattered buildings in the area, those fires spread. They spread quickly and dangerously.

From a wine standpoint, there is horrible damage. While the fires thus far have been far closer, obviously, to some vineyards than others, there is tremendous risk that the 2020 vintage in Napa, and perhaps surrounding counties as well, will be significantly compromised by smoke taint. Some vineyards have been ruined although most have thus far escaped serious damage.

Many of those vineyards are currently owned by major conglomerates. They will be repaired and replanted, I have little doubt. Others are owned by families. While many of those families have done quite well in the wine industry, they are still just families. This is their life and their life has been hurt.

I saw a video of one such person that he himself took. While he was surveying his vineyard and the surrounding area, the camera, perhaps inadvertently shifted to his face. Perhaps unsuccessfully, he was fighting back tears.

What happened? 

On Sunday, there were three separate fires that merged. I don't know how they started. It will likely be months, at least, before anyone does. 

As of yesterday evening, nearly 150 wineries had been ordered evacuated, 80 homes were destroyed, and the fire was only 2% contained. An ultra-high end resort and restaurant is severely damaged. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

One winery in particular, built as a 13th century Italian castle and specializing in Italian wines has been essentially destroyed. A farmhouse on the property that was used largely for wine storage lost over $5 million in wines. One friend who worked there when Castello di Amorosa first opened remarked about her memories there, about what I think was her first office in wine country being destroyed, about her memories being destroyed.

Tomorrow, I'll return to grapes. But, for now, if it is your wont, pray for the people of this area of wine country.



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