For a wine region built on tourism, Napa Valley has had a rough vintage.

Let’s take a deeper look into what happened this year and how to help. (PS it involves our favorite thing: wine!)

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Napa Valley: Quench The Wildfires With Wine

In Napa Valley, COVID-19 shuttered businesses for 81 days straight. Then, tourism was slow to recuperate (it’s down by approximately 55 percent).

Finally, just as Cabernet Sauvignon ripened, the Glass Fire raged through the northern part of the valley.

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“We lost our Grandparents homestead to the fire [built in 1929]. In this time of ultra-modern wineries dominating the area, it was especially sad to see one of the last examples of ‘Old Napa Valley’ go up in flames.”–Vince Tofanelli, Tofanelli Family Vineyard

smoke-taint-to-grapes-illustration-winefollysmoke particles land on grapes and cause contamination.

Smoke Stories

Flames weren’t the only consequence of the Glass Fire. Wineries spared from the fires were covered with ash. Many wineries aren’t making a 2020 vintage due to smoke taint.

“This is the first year since we started business with the 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage that we have not made estate wine.”
–Fiona Barnett, Barnett Vineyards

“Normally, we would be in the thick of grape harvest and crush right now but, due to losing our entire crop to smoke taint this year, there is no picking, sorting, or crushing for us. We look forward to sticky hands in 2021!”
–Mike Lamborn, Lamborn Family Vineyards

The Road To Recovery (and How To Help)

Fortunately, all is not lost. Wineries are back open in the valley – trying everything they can do to finish the 2020 vintage.

For those looking to support from afar, we dug through Napa Valley Vintners “OpenTheCellar” site for new wine discoveries worth exploring. If you haven’t had a bottle of Napa yet this year, now’s the time.

Here are a few good bottles and stories to quench your thirst. (“View details” to see full info or buy wine directly from the producer.)

We picked this wine because… well, because it’s Roussanne! This unctuous, peachy white is the backbone of those rare white blends from the Rhône Valley.

It’s especially rare in Napa. This wine comes from a vineyard planted back in 1998 (back when when everyone else was planting Cabernet.)

So, you know how we’re always talking about Merlot being the “secret value” in a place like Napa Valley? Well, here’s a decent example. This perfectly aged (and age-worthy) wine would normally float upwards of $200 a bottle (if it were Cabby-Wabby). However, since it’s just a lil’ ol’ Merlot, no one noticed!

We see you there hiding in plain sight.

If you’ve been watching the news you’ve…

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