NAPA, Calif. (KRON) – Many wineries were burned or destroyed in the Glass Fire but now nearly two weeks after it started, one of those wineries that suffered damage is back open for business.
Since their main building and tasting room were untouched by the fires, Castello di Amorosa is now back open for business.
Just a few steps away from where patrons were happily sipping samples of their reds and whites, the damage from the Glass Fire was being assessed by its owner.
The 11,000 square-foot farmhouse was gutted. Equipment and approximately 120,000 bottles of wine were lost in the blaze.
Since this winery was built to replicate a 13th-century Tuscan castle, they are going to have to bring artisans in from Italy to make the repairs.
The owner says the back to backfires here in the North Bay coming after having to close for three months during the pandemic is the worst catastrophe he’s experienced in 45 years in the wine business.
A pain being felt throughout the Napa Valley which relies heavily on tourist traffic.
“How can people help? They can help by visiting the Napa Valley, going to a restaurant, fine wines, and the Napa Valley. Just coming up here, spending a little money because a lot of businesses are simply in a closedown. They’ve been racked with fires and COVID over and over it’s just impossible to stay open,” Dario Sattui said.
A group of tourists was celebrating a 40th birthday and say they were a little worried about going ahead with their plans but are happy they did.
“We were nervous but we’re so excited to be here. The sky is clear, it’s beautiful and the service has been amazing, thank you for opening. We came from out of town, we’re from Houston, we’re from Louisiana, Louisiana, Virginia, D.C. This is my 40th birthday. COVID can’t get us, fires can’t get us, nothing will ruin this,” tourist from Houston, Anitra Wilson said.
For those just interested in coming up to drink in the scenery, while there are burn scars visible, much of Napa Valley is as beautiful as ever.