Post-Fire Sonoma: When Should You Visit?

After the horrendous fires and the news coverage it seemed like Sonoma County pretty much burnt to the ground. It is currently estimated about 170 square miles burned, or about ten percent of the county's land area. The most damaging was in the northern part of Santa Rosa. Most of the acreage burned were steep, remote hillsides where the fire could not be easily controlled.

That leaves 90% of the county untouched, including most of the wine areas. As it turns out vineyards make a pretty good fire block.

Sonoma Post-Fire: Rebuilding the Tourism Industry

As cataclysmic as the last couple weeks have been you can see a return to normalcy beginning. Maybe not so much for those that lost their home, business, or a loved one, but in an economic sense.

Restaurants and other businesses are reopening. The big question is, "Have we scared away too many visitors?" Even though the destruction was only a small part of Sonoma County, people may be staying away in droves. Tourism is a really big piece of the local economy.

Post-Fire Sonoma County FAQs

An almost unimaginable disaster struck several counties, including Sonoma and Napa, with the bulk of the damage and loss of life in Sonoma's largest city, Santa Rosa. People will have questions about the wine and about visiting the area. Here's the information and speculation we have now.

Zinfandel Confuses a Lot of People

Many folks aren't really sure what Zinfandel is supposed to be. It's certainly had its share of mystery, changes, and ups and downs in the marketplace.

Wine, From Grape to Glass, by the Numbers

When folks see a vineyard or even a single vine they often wonder, "How many grapes does it take ...?"

Using some averages here are ways to understand the process of the grapes in the field to your glass of wine. Hopefully, you are currently holding a glass of Sonoma County wine to help with that visualization.

Sonoma County by the Numbers

Sonoma County is a major premium wine-producing area in California. The growth started in the 1970s and hasn't slowed down.

There are 425 wineries in the county or about 17% of the state's total. There are about 60,000 acres of vineyards with 10% growth in the last ten years. Almost 10% of the state's wine grapes are grown in Sonoma County ranking second in the state behind San Joaquin County in the Central Valley.

California Wine by the Numbers

The Golden State is #1 in wine produced and in the number of wineries in the U.S. It's been that way and isn't really news. What is news is the growth.

Just over ten years ago, in 2006, there were 2,447 wineries in California. In 2016 there were 4,653. Even during the Great Recession of 2008-09 the number increased, just at a slower rate. About 475 of those wineries are in Napa and about 425 in Sonoma. Next on the list, Washington, has experienced a high growth rate, but is still a distant second at 1,019 wineries.

The Crazy Weather and Wine

Worldwide this was a wacky season for wine grapes with crops affected in many places.

A world view from Bloomberg

A local view from Jordan Winery's blog

Yes, Expensive Wine Does Taste Better

Actually it appears to taste better or so our brain tells us. A study showed that the price label on the bottle changed the perception of the quality of the wine. Though this scientific study dove into why this happens it's something wine marketing folks have known for awhile. Not just wine, but car manufacturers, clothing retailers, etc.

The study

You Can Tell It's Harvest Season in Sonoma County

image from pressdemocrat.com

The wine grape harvest changes many things with the Sonoma County landscape. Peg Melnik from
the local paper tells you all about it in great detail:

Press Democrat article


But if you only want the short summary:

It's a Hell of a Grape Harvest

Remembering back to that record rainfall last winter and the delayed spring it seemed we were looking at a fairly normal harvest. Then there was the record hot summer. The kicker was the near all-time record heat for several days around Labor Day.

What you get are raisined grapes as the moisture is pulled out to protect the plant. Just add water? A couple issues there: 1) Some vineyards are dry farmed so that's not a choice, 2) Watering close to harvest can dilute the concentrated flavors you're looking for in premium wines.

A New Wine Tasting Room

And it's run by students! Bet you didn't expect that. And it's situated a few minutes from Lake Michigan. Bet you didn't expect that either.

A local college has a wine and viticulture program. Students make and sell their wines. It's a chance to mingle directly with the consumer, something that not enough winemakers do. 

Article from Wines & Vines