Fire Destroys Up to $40 Million in Costly Wine

A long-smoldering fire at a wine country warehouse destroyed millions of dollars worth of high-priced wine and champagne, including the collections of several local vintners.

As many as 50,000 cases of wine produced by at least 30 vintners were destroyed by the fire at Kornell Champagne Cellars near Calistoga. Damage estimates have reached up to $40 million.

The loss may wipe out the entire yield this season for some small winegrowers.

Firefighters on Friday continued to fight the blaze, which was expected to smolder for days. It is believed that the fire broke out late Wednesday, but it was reported at 7 a.m. Thursday, state Department of Forestry Capt. Thomas Shores said Friday.

Two firefighters were treated at the scene for minor injuries. No other injuries were reported, Shores said.

“It’s a concrete-sided building and the sides fell in and the roof fell in on top of it and it’s got like 50,000 cases of wine and champagne,” Shores said. “It’s just taking a long time to get the fire out.”

Firefighters were continuing to douse the smoky fire, and the full extent of the damage was unknown.

The facility, located in the heart of California’s Napa County wine producing region, is owned by Frank-Rombauer Larkmead Cellars--which also stores and bottles its own label at the site.

The warehouse stores wines from more than 30 local vintners, restaurants and private collections. Most of the wine is Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of the vintners stored up to three years of their entire wine yield at the site.

“The small-time vintners could lose their business over this,” said Eric Sims, an industry analyst.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.