Napa Valley's iconic Meadowood resort burns

Wine Country homes, businesses, wineries devastated by another deadly, fast-moving wildfire

Sep 29, 2020

#meadowood across the valley from St Helena. I just left there...they couldn’t save it. :(. #glassfire

NAPA VALLEY (Callaway Climate Insights) — Meadowood Napa Valley, an historic five-star resort with a Michelin-starred restaurant, was seriously damaged by the devastating Glass Fire on Monday. The resort, owned by PCH Hotels and Resorts, sits on 250 acres in St. Helena east of the Silverado Trail, and it remained inaccessible Tuesday. The restaurant, clubhouse, pro shop, some tennis facilities and other buildings reportedly were destroyed and it was not known what other damage has been done. Meadowood is inextricably linked to the wine industry, well-known for its role as host to almost four decades of the Napa Valley wine auction.

Auction Napa Valley, founded in 1981, has raised millions every year for healthcare and social services throughout the area. The event was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but virtual fundraising boosted the effort to top the $200 million milestone in June — what would have been its 40th anniversary under the iconic white auction tent at Meadowood.

Brett Anderson, Meadowood’s director of culture and communications, told Wine Spectator, “We don’t know the extent of the damage, but we have seen the photos of the fire posted by first responders on social media and are heartbroken.” Anderson said no resort personnel were at Meadowood Monday afternoon.

As of midday Tuesday, firefighters were getting some support via improved weather conditions, but the fire in Napa and Sonoma counties was 0% contained and had burned at least 42,000 acres. The entire town of Calistoga was evacuated Monday night.

The fire also did extensive damage to the luxury Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Collections resort north of Meadowood. Chateau Boswell, an historic winery in St. Helena on the Silverado Trail, was destroyed; and across the valley floor, Castello di Amorosa’s huge storage building, holding millions of dollars in bottled wine, was razed.