Thanks to the unbelievably courageous efforts from the thousands of fire fighters and first responders, the Sonoma County Kincade fire is being contained and residents are returning to their homes and businesses. Thankfully, no lives have been lost. The town of Windsor was saved!

One casualty of the Kincade fire has been the historic Soda Rock Winery in Alexander Valley, owned by ZAP Board Member Diane Wilson and her husband, Ken Wilson. They have reported that the family and staff are safe and have been lifted up by the amazing outpouring of positive thoughts, photos, memories and words of support.  Still standing is the Soda Rock barn and the resilient Lord Snort sculpture.

It’s impossible not to be horrified by the fires that raged in California over this past week. Our hearts are heavy to witness such destruction and displacement. Complicating matters has been the evacuations, so necessary for safety, and the power outages experienced throughout much of Northern California.

The perseverance and generosity of the individuals who live in our communities, combined with the grandeur of the landscape, inspire us to fight ever harder to maintain California’s special qualities for generations to come.  At ZAP, we feel a deep commitment to ensuring our prized wineries that give us so much pleasure and joy continue to thrive. What can we do to help? It’s a question we are asking the winery community and we are ready to jump into action.

Please remember, much of Sonoma County has not been impacted. The splendor of the region continues to flourish and our wineries from Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, Russian River and Sonoma will kick open the doors to greet you soon.  There will be hundreds of places to visit, wines to taste and areas to explore. In the meantime, we encourage you to visit the wineries online to shop for your favorite Zinfandels! Your support for these businesses is incredibly important—it absolutely makes a difference. ZAP is here to help. Please give us a call if we can assist you.

For now, we know one thing for sure: it’s time to raise a glass of Zinfandel to our friends, family and first responders!

Cheers,

Rebecca Robinson

Executive Director