It’s been a little over a year since the Pickett Fire ignited outside Calistoga in northern Napa Valley, but the legal aftermath is still smoldering. State agency Cal Fire has completed an investigation into the fire’s cause. That’s led to criminal charges against one individual. Meanwhile, several wineries that lost their grapes to wildfire smoke have filed a lawsuit against the vintner who owns the property where the fire started.
The fire began Aug. 21, 2025, on Pickett Road in the hills northeast of Calistoga and grew rapidly, burning for more than two weeks and ultimately consuming 6,820 acres. Most vineyards in the Napa Valley were spared from smoke and flames, but Howell Mountain and Pope Valley were not so lucky. In total, the fire inflicted an estimated $56 million in damages to local grape crops alone.
Cal Fire’s investigation found that the blaze started from hot ashes disposed of in a burn pile between contiguous properties owned by Jayson Woodbridge’s Hundred Acre Wines company. The Napa County District Attorney’s office filed felony charges on Aug. 27 against a contracted worker, Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil, who was hired by Hundred Acre Wines and disclosed to Cal Fire officials that he improperly disposed of hot ashes, which ignited the fire.
A Lost Harvest
Earlier this month, a group of Howell Mountain vintners, including Outpost, Laelius Winegrowing and Impensata Wines, filed a lawsuit against Hundred Acre Wines and Woodbridge over crop and revenue losses from smoke taint. Outpost is a Howell Mountain winery founded in 1998 and now owned by AXA Millésimes and managed by former owner Frank Dotzler. Impensata Wines and winegrowing partner Laelius Winegrowing farm the Ciminelli Vineyard, also on Howell Mountain.
A spokesperson for Outpost declined to comment, and staff at Impensata could not be reached. However, court documents show that plaintiffs contend Woodbridge had an obligation to exercise caution regarding potential fire-producing activities and that Gutierrez Marfil’s reckless actions caused the fire that ultimately damaged their crop.
“Hundred Acre denies the claims in this lawsuit. We will vigorously defend our position in court,” said Sam Singer, a spokesman for Hundred Acre. “Only these three plaintiffs chose litigation. Numerous other wineries affected by the Pickett Fire are working cooperatively and in collaboration with us to resolve their claims fairly and responsibly.”
Among the other impacted wineries is the PlumpJack Group, whose 129-acre Oso Vineyard in Pope Valley was damaged not just by smoke, but by flames. The owners settled with Hundred Acre. “Depending on the severity of the fire, a vineyard can rebound, but that was not the case, and we have about 50 acres that will need to be fully replanted,” said partner and general manager John Conover.
“There’s no winners in this story.” —John Conover
Conover said he feels lucky that the group’s 103 acres on Howell Mountain for Cade and 13th Vineyard didn’t suffer any fire or smoke taint issues, and noted that it wasn’t a total loss in Pope Valley. “The fire mainly affected a hillside portion of the property, and we harvested some Sauvignon Blanc pre-fire.”
Nevertheless, Conover says, despite their settlement, “There’s no winners in this story.”
Other wineries publicly identified as seeking settlements include Robert Craig Winery and Summit Lake Vineyards, which are working with Singleton Schreiber, a law firm that represents them and about 20 other wineries and vineyards as a coordinated group. If they do not reach settlements, additional lawsuits could follow.
"We are continuing to pursue full and fair compensation for the wineries and vineyard owners we represent, based on the devastating losses they suffered from the Pickett Fire," said Paul Starita, a partner at Singleton Schreiber. "The damages in these cases are significant, and our focus is on holding those responsible accountable and ensuring our clients have the resources they need to recover.
Court Dates
The charges against Gutierrez Marfil could strengthen the plaintiffs’ claims, as the fire’s origin on Woodbridge’s property might reinforce their allegations of owner negligence. The criminal complaint includes a special allegation of committing an offense that caused more than $6 million in losses.
Gutierrez Marfil is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 9. The first hearing for the civil lawsuit, where a judge, the parties and their lawyers meet to organize the schedule and plan next steps, is set for Jan. 20, 2027.
Stay on top of important wine stories with Wine Spectator’s free Breaking News Alerts.
