The Aftertaste of Wildfire: Smoke Tainted Wine andthe 2025 Pickett Fire
This story explores how smoke-tainted wine is identified, valued, and insured as wildfires continue to challenge the global wine industry.
The Pickett Fire, which began on August 21, 2025, in Northern Napa, California’s primary wine growing region, impacted approximately 1,500 acres of vineyards. Even though this represents only about 3% of Napa’s grape-growing land, the reach of wildfire smoke can affect grapes and wine several miles away from the flames.
Wine-growing regions worldwide are increasingly facing the effects of wildfires, and understanding smoke taint is essential. This story reviews how smoke-tainted wine is identified, valued for insurance purposes, and discusses emerging developments in wine insurance coverage.
In this feature, you’ll learn about:
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What is Smoke Taint: How volatile phenols from smoke penetrate grapes and later affect wine flavor.
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Identification: Laboratory testing and wine tasting techniques to determine the presence and severity of smoke taint.
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Valuation Steps: How wineries and insurers calculate losses, including inventory verification, wine program analysis, and unincurred costs.
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Insurance Developments: New parametric insurance products and USDA-backed coverage to help wineries mitigate wildfire risks.
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