For those of you who have heard my joke that Robert Craig is my boyfriend: no, I've never met him, yes the wines are l o v e l y.
But I did hear some heartbreaking news this year -- the Howell Mountain winemaker will not be able to release ANY BOTTLES for 2026. His Candlestick vineyards, as well as 27 other vineyards in the Napa Region have been destroyed this year due to the August Pickett Fires.
The Bigger Picture
Robert Craig alone lost an anticipated $3M in damages, a hit that comes on the backs of the Glass Fire in 2020 and the Camp fire in 2018. According to an article from the Guardian, beyond damaged and smoke-tainted vines, they will have to replant and wait up to 10 years to hope for similar quality grapes. Most devastating to their bottom line, however, will be quickly rising insurance costs.
While the County and Camp fires were cataclysmic natural disasters, the Pickett fire was an avoidable one, still under investigation. Early reports confirmed it can be traced back to the site of a prominent winemaker in the area and a group lawsuit is underway.
| Year | Name | Damages ($) | Damages (acreage) | Deaths | Source |
| 2025 | Pickett Fire | $67m | 6,800 |
|
private eqpt. |
| 2020 | Glass Fire | $3.7B | 67,000 | 0 | private eqpt. |
| 2018 | Camp Fire | $16B | 153,000 | 85 | public infrastructure |
| 2017 | County Fires | $9B+ | 245,000 | 44 | natural |
Please note: Death and Damage reports are only part of the story. Napa is a village with strong infrastructure and deep community. Even when there are no deaths from a fire, displacements due to fire damage is deeply disruptive to the community and wildlife.
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