Korbel Champagne Cellars was ordered to evacuate Tuesday as it was harvesting grapes for its sparkling wines. The harvest started Aug.3, and Korbel expected to be completed by Labor Day. Crews of pickers have left the vineyards and the winery is closed.
Margie Healy, who heads up the communications effort at Korbel, told us the winery was okay. It still has power and major backup generators.
“Since we are in the middle of harvest, we are arranging to divert grapes to our Heck Cellars property in Bakersfield to be crushed and one of our growers has done some crushing for us today. With the crop being so short, we don’t want to lose any grapes. We haven’t started picking our estate vineyards yet here at the winery,” Healy said..
Among other wineries threatened in Napa’s oldest family owned winery, Nichelini Family Winery, and several others. For Nichelini it raises the possibility that for the first time in six generations there may not be a harvest at the property, says Winemaker Aimee Sunseri, a member of the family’s fifth generation.
Other wineries threatened include Gary Fennell Wineery, Fort Ross Vineyard & Winery, Chazppellet Winery.