October 10, 2017 – We’ve been watching in horror as wind-whipped fires raced through the fabled Wine Country of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, devastating entire subdivisions, razing historic wineries and closing businesses. People have died, thousands are displaced and the fires continue to threaten new neighborhoods, but the Monterey County and Santa Cruz Mountains wine associations are already banding together to help affected wineries.
“This is a very personal tragedy, not only because the California wine community is close-knit, but also because a number of our local wineries and vineyards also have property in Sonoma and Napa,” said Kim Stemler, executive director of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association.
“Our hearts are heavy as we watch the continued widespread destruction caused by the wildfires that are impacting so many of our wine country brethren in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. We pray for the safety of all those impacted by this enormous tragedy,” said Megan Metz, executive director of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, eleven wineries have been destroyed or damaged by the fires, along with untold acres of vineyards. See their list here…
The regional directors of California’s wine and growers association are working to compile a list of resources that are available to be shared with wineries affected by the fires, including trucks, fermenters, facilities and equipment.
“Ian and Heather Brand, owners of I. Brand & Family Winery, have offered space in their already busy Salinas winery to help those affected by the fires be able to process their grapes. We will continue to see more offers of this kind coming from our local wine community as the crisis goes on,” Stemler reported.
David Goldfarb of Clos La Tech in the Santa Cruz Mountains has offered help trucking grapes out of the area and Thomas Fogarty Wines is offering housing accommodations for displaced winemakers. Others who have something to contribute are asked to contact Stemler or Metz.
In Monterey, Alvarado St. Brewery is helping those affected by the fires, contributing $1 for every pint sold Wednesday, October 4 at the Monterey or Salinas locations to Relief Efforts for the Sonoma County Fire.
Dawn’s Dream Winery in Carmel is also acting as a collection point for donations for the fire victims, including items like baby food, diapers and blankets.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
