The Point Fire burned 1,200 acres in Sonoma County in June. Lago di Merlo Vineyards lost a few vines to the fire, but it faces an uncertain future after an errant fire retardant drop painted a 20-acre swath of grapevines bright red.
The Press Democrat reports that vineyard owner Harry Merlo Jr. considers his 100-acre crop a total loss for this year and perhaps longer.
“We have grapes with a lot of fire retardant on them,” Merlo said.
Grapes contaminated with retardant are worthless in the wine industry.
“Local American markets and foreign markets do not allow the chemicals that are in fire retardant into their wines,” said Christian Klier, a North Coast grape broker. “Any trace of them is an automatic rejection.”
The big question for Merlo and his vineyard is, “How long will those traces linger?”
