Napa officials estimated the financial cost of damage to wineries and agriculture at $48 million (€36 million). Around 120 wine and agriculture businesses suffered at least some damage in the quake.

The figure is expected to rise. The initial total “does not include losses a result of business interruption, lost tourism or lost inventory,” officials said. A spokesperson for Napa Valley Vintners, the wine trade body that has been working with Napa County officials, said it was still assessing damage reports.

Several winemakers said last week that they arrived at their wineries shortly after the earthquake struck to find smashed bottles, burst vats and barrels strewn across the cellar.

It remains unclear how much wine was lost, although hopes had emerged by the end of the week that stock losses were not as bad as first feared. The California-based Wine Institute said it does not expect the quake to curtail overall wine supplies.

Damage reports also varied widely, with some producers, such as Shafer, reporting no problems.

Some reports have suggested smaller-scale producers have been disproportionately affect­ed. Craig Camp, managing partner at boutique producer Cornerstone Cellars, said he still does not know the extent of wine losses but that “we have certainly lost some of our work from the 2013 vintage forever”.

(www.decanter.com)

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