Napa’s Signorello Estate rebuilds after devastating wildfires

Napa’s Signorello Wine Estate has set about rebuilding its ravaged winery, which was destroyed by 10 days of intense wildfires that swept through the region in October last year, revealing its plans for a new winery and cellar.

Signorello was among the many wineries to have suffered damage during the fires, and one of an “handful” to have experienced significant property loss, with its winery razed to the ground by the Atlas Peak fire.

Three months on from the destruction, Ray Signorello Jr has confirmed he has hired Taylor Lombardo Architects to design a “modern, state of the art building” with an “open, airy design”, and Nordby Construction Company for the building process. The new winery will include a full, professional kitchen to allow for a better “visitor experience”.

In addition to constructing the winery, Nordby will also install an 8,000 square foot system of wine ageing caves on the property – a first for Signorello Estate – which will also serve as a hospitality and tasting space for visitors while the winery is being built.

“The world saw Signorello Estate as the face of the Napa Valley fire, soon they will see it as a leading symbol of this region’s comeback,” the partners stated.

The wildfires, which began on Monday (9 October), swept throughout northern California by high winds and were most damaging in the Atlas Peak-Stag’s Leap area near Yountville, in Sonoma County between Kenwood and Santa Rosa, and in the mountains north and west of Calistoga.

A total of 43 people lost their lives, including a fire worker, with hundreds of homes destroyed.

In terms of the impact on the wine industry and the 2017 harvest, the vast majority of grapes from the 2017 harvest had already been picked, before the fires started on October 8. Napa Valley Vintners has said that while the volume of the 2017 vintage will be lower than average, early, anecdotal estimates are projecting shortages to be “comparable to other years affected by the common irregularities of farming, like drought, frost damage.”

Signorello Estate was co-founded in 1977 by father-son duo of Ray Sr. and Ray Jr. and is located on Napa’s Silverado Trail.

Signorello before the damage.

Click here to see the full extent of the damage cause to the Signorello Estate.