Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/892087
8 WINES&VINES November 2017 A member of Wine Communications Group Inc. President & Publisher Chet Klingensmith Chairman Hugh Tietjen Publishing Consultant Ken Koppel Associate Publisher Tina Vierra Publishing Assistant Ian Fadden Special Projects & Events Coordinator Johanna Rupp EDITORIAL Editor Jim Gordon Managing Editor Kate Lavin Senior Editor Andrew Adams Contributing Editor Jane Firstenfeld Northwest Correspondent Peter Mitham Grapegrowing Columnist Glenn T. McGourty Contributing Writers Laurie Daniel, Richard Smart, Richard Carey, Jaime Lewis, Chris Stamp, Andrew Reynolds, Craig Root, Ray Pompilio, Andy Starr, Fritz Westover Practical Winery & Vineyard (PWV) Editor Don Neel Wine East Editor Linda Jones McKee DESIGN & PRODUCTION Graphic Designer Rebecca Arnn DATABASE DEVELOPMENT – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Vice President — Data Management Lynne Skinner Project Manager Liesl Stevenson Database & Web Development James Rust, Peter Scarborough Research Assistant Sara Jennings EDITOR'S LETTER AS THIS ISSUE WENT TO PRESS, 11 shocking and fatiguing days had passed since hor- rific fires broke out in Northern California, causing unprecedented loss of life and property and disrupting many wine-producing communities during the busy harvest season. Our staff and their families in the North Bay region saw the fires, breathed the smoke and some faced evacuation from their homes but came through it with their lives and properties intact. We know that wasn't the case for many of our readers, and we express our deepest sym- pathy to those who lost loved ones, homes, wineries and livelihoods. As of this writing, the major fires had burned more than 245,000 acres, destroyed 6,900 structures and killed 42 people. Firefighters had fought and gained containment in most places, but the fires continued to burn while wineries hustled to bring in the last of their grapes and complete their fermentations. Meanwhile, many residents of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties who had to evacuate due to the fires had not been allowed back to their properties to assess the dam- age that may have occurred, so along with the known losses, unknown losses remained to be documented. The emergency didn't stop the wine-producing com- munity, however. People immediately began pitching in enthusiastically to provide shelter and food for the home- less, support and praise for the firefighters, and countless favors large and small for fellow winemakers, growers, cellar workers, vineyard crews and anyone else in the affected areas—whether directly con- nected to the wine industry or not. One of the largest contributions we know of came from E. & J. Gallo Winery in the form of a $1 million charitable donation to three nonprofit aid organizations and a commitment to match Gallo employee donations $2 for every $1. Mumm Napa provided a great example of generosity of another type by building and giving away sifter boxes to people whose homes and businesses had burned, so they could sift through the ashes to find valuables. We can't begin to name all the people and organizations that have rallied to help. But it's been heartwarming to see, and on behalf of our team and the many wine country communities that have been damaged, we wholeheartedly thank everyone for their concern and help. Cash donations are still needed urgently at this point for communities to clean up and rebuild. These can go to any legitimate nonprofit group serving the North Bay and North Coast counties affected. Four that we understand are especially well-suited are: Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, Sonoma County Grape Grow- ers Foundation, Mendocino County Disaster Fund and Red Cross of Northern California. Our main job as a publication is to inform members of the wine industry about issues important to their livelihoods, so in the following pages you will see a comprehensive wrap-up of news coverage on the fires. We will do our best to keep you informed of all future newsworthy developments as well. Also, our team is actively seeking additional ways to help in the coming weeks and months of the recovery process. Again, all of us at Wines & Vines want to express our sympathy to those who have lost so much. We know that the great energy, compassion and entrepre- neurial spirit in our industry will speed the recovery of the damaged communities. —Jim Gordon We express our deepest sympathy to those who lost loved ones, homes, wineries and livelihoods. CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: subs@winesandvines.com Online: winesandvines.com/subscribe Phone: (866) 453-9701 EDITORIAL Email: edit@winesandvines.com MAIL 65 Mitchell Blvd., Suite A San Rafael, CA 94903 CONNECT WITH US facebook.com/WinesandVines twitter.com/WinesandVines youtube.com/WinesandVines1919 Generosity and Compassion Will Speed Fire Recovery