While damage is still being assessed, these fires are expected to have a devastating effect to the wine and tourism industry. Especially as California produces 85% of US wines and is also a multi-billion dollar industry.
The wildfires have already claimed hotels such as Hilton Sonoma Wine Country and Fountaingrove Inn. Along with hotels, Signorello Estates and William Hill Estate Winery appear to have been destroyed. While the wildfires are still trying to be contained, they continue to close in on a number of major wineries along Highway 12 between Sonoma and Santa Rosa, including Chateau St. Jean, Kenwood, Kunde and B.R. Cohn.
Consumers nationwide can expect to feel the effects of these fires for years to come due to the timing of the fires coming during prime grape harvest season. With a number of vineyards either being burned or destroyed this could potentially cause years of shortage for wine grapes. Although 75% of wine grapes were already picked prior to the wildfires, the cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes were still on the vines.
Firefighters are hoping for some relief on Tuesday from the strong winds so they can continue to regulate and sustain the spread of the wildfires and prevent further damage to Northern California.
