Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/913027
casualty of the Atlas Fire. Luckily, the 2017 harvest was 95 percent complete, accord- ing to a recent press release issued by the winery. After an evaluation, the wines were moved to barrels and deemed to be of high quality. The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) reported that 90 percent of the 2017 harvest by volume had already been picked before the wildfires began. While the quality of the vintage is not expected to be impacted, the volume may be lower than average. NVV members also reported that anecdotal evidence proj - ects shortages should be comparable to years when volume was impacted by other environmental factors, like drought and freezing temperatures. For grapes picked after the fires, winemakers in Napa and Sonoma are performing inspections and conducting laboratory testing to evaluate the impact of the smoke. Reynolds reported Hall is leading its own investigation on the fire's impact, including its effect on the Cabernet Sauvignon. Community Partners Offer Aid To those continuing to follow coverage of the fires and their toll on the Northern California wine industry, the story here is not about loss: It's about community, strength, and resilience. It's about fellow neighbors in both communities who came together to assist first responders. It's about winery employees and locals digging firebreaks, clearing away brush, and saving homes. In truth, it's about the love and pas - sion we share for a place many of us call home—California's inimitable wine country. Numerous recovery efforts have been established in the aftermath of the fires. Among them is the Redwood Credit Union's North Bay Fire Relief Fund, which Craig and Kathryn Hall set up to aid both Napa and Sonoma fire victims. The Halls matched donations and thus far have raised more than $325,000. They've also generously opened rooms at their SENZA Hotel to first responders, as well as people who were evacuated or lost their homes in the fires. The Napa Valley Vintners recommend donating to the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, which was estab - lished with a $10 million grant after the 2014 South Napa earthquake and was reactivated following the fires. The Napa Valley Community Foundation made $565,000 in immediate grants available to local nonprofits supporting fire relief and recovery efforts. In addition, on October 27, the foundation approved distributions from the Disaster Relief Fund totaling $3 million to help local workers facing finan - cial hardships due to the fires. 118 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017/2018 The entrance to Signorello Estate, a once-welcoming sight now ravaged by fire.