Dear friends,
As you know, the Glass Fire is ravaging the northern reaches of Napa and Sonoma counties and our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the people who have lost their homes across the entire region.
At the time of writing, the wildfire has burned 60,000 acres and is 5% contained, with Red Flag warnings (high winds, high temperature and low humidity) forecast through the weekend. Sadly, Napa Valley has lost many treasured homes and structures including wineries, restaurants and resorts, still we are very thankful that all of our employees and their families are safe.
As of this morning, we have lost several acres of planted vines at our Oso Vineyard on the backside of Howell Mountain. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We are also under mandatory evacuation orders from the winery, located north of St. Helena due to the proximity of our property to the fire, which is currently active a half-mile from us as of last night.
As smoke continues to settle over Napa Valley, our winemaking team has made the incredibly difficult decision to not produce any red wine within the 2020 vintage. While losing our entire 2020 crop of Bordeaux red varietals to smoke taint is devastating, the prospect of fellow producers losing their livelihoods is even more unfathomable.
The brave men and women first responders are, as always, nothing short of spectacular, and our communities owe them so much gratitude. They are doing everything possible to save our towns and properties, as they have already done all over California this harvest. We're doing our best to remain positive during these difficult times.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check on our families and well-being. We are safe and continue to keep close tabs on the Glass Fire currently surrounding our vineyard sites & crush facility.
One question we keep receiving is "How can we help?" As a family, we support the Napa Valley Community Foundation and you can also find reliable resources here at Glass Fire - How to Help Bay Area Wildfire Victims, as well as, Rebuild North Bay.
Above all, please continue to support our Napa Valley community through opening a bottle of Napa Valley wine as you hold our community in your thoughts.
Thank you all for your notes of well wishes, thoughts, and prayers. Given the current circumstances, please allow extra time for any responses while we try to manage this most difficult time. We look forward to our next message to you being one of good news, optimism, and hope.
Until then, stay well,
Rob, Michael and Dina Mondavi
Michael Mondavi Family Estate
www.michaelmondavifamilyestate.com