winemanden
Senior Member
LVMH Closes Newton Vineyards in California Permanently No Reconstruction After the 2020 Fire Disaster
Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley will not be rebuilt four years after the destruction caused by the devastating wildfire "Glass Fire" and is closing permanently.By Wein‑Plus GmbH
The winery Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley will not be rebuilt after the destruction caused by the devastating wildfire "Glass Fire" and is now closing permanently. This was announced by the luxury group LVMH, which owns the winery. In addition to the estate buildings, the fire also destroyed almost all of the vineyard areas. The 2020 harvest was completely lost, and most of the 2019 vintage, which was still in the barrels, was also lost. Just six months before the fire, Newton had completed extensive renovations and the transition to organic farming. LVMH had invested around ten million US dollars in this.
The winery was founded in 1977 by Englishman Peter Newton and grew to an area of 260 hectares, of which about 48 hectares were planted with vines. In 2001, LVMH acquired a majority stake in Newton Vineyards. Peter Newton passed away in 2008, and his family retained only a small share.
The location on the inaccessible Spring Mountain made Newton Vineyards, surrounded by forests and scrubland, one of the most difficult wineries to manage in the entire Napa Valley. The fire also burned over 6,000 trees on the property. As a result, the steep slopes were almost defenseless against erosion.
