Napa Valley Vintners Put Competition Aside To Help In Recovery Efforts Following Earthquake
NAPA (KCBS) – Damage is still being assessed at many wineries in Napa Valley following the 6.0 earthquake on August 24.
With harvest season in full swing, many vintners are struggling with losses from the quake. Despite the competitive nature of the wine business, the devastating quake has brought the community together.
Take Steven Burgess, president of Burgess Cellars, who has exemplified the kind of spirit that can be found among wineries in the area.
"There was a bunch of facilities that possibly were going to get yellow or red-tagged and they might not be able to work in there anymore," said Burgess. "So I offered up to a thousand barrel storage space."
He said one winemaker has expressed an interest in the offer. "He might have to come by and bring 300-700 barrels by for storage. And I could do that indefinitely."
Burgess downplayed the competitive nature of the business and said the community has come together and shown great camaraderie.
The Napa Valley Vintners Association plans to donate $10 million to create a Community Disaster Relief Fund to help meet the immediate needs of local residents and businesses impacted by the earthquake.