By KELLI PHILLIPS
Contra Costa Times
Dozens of vintners on Thursday were reeling over the loss of an estimated $100 million worth of wine and other products in an eight-alarm fire in Vallejo.
``We lost everything -- 5,000 cases,’' said Jeff Tamayo of Ca’an Wine and Tamayo Family Vineyards in Brentwood. ``Our 2002 was going to be released in the spring, and now it’s gone.’'
Winemakers say the timing could not have been worse, just before the holiday season when they make 30 to 40 percent of their sales.
The Wednesday evening blaze gutted the inside of Wines Central, a wine storage and distribution warehouse on Mare Island. It stored everything from C&H Sugar products to niche wines and what some vintners said were rare vintages worth $1,000 a bottle or more.
Ron Lehrer of Lehrer Family Vineyards, also in Brentwood, says he and others have nothing left to sell -- except what’s already in circulation -- until new vintages are ready about this time next year.
Lehrer, who specializes in a red syrah, says he lost what was left of his 2002 stock and all of 2003. ``It’s a sad thing. We had good vintages and they all went up in flames.’'
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined. ``It is considered a crime scene until we prove otherwise,’' said Vallejo Fire Department spokesman Bill Tweedy.
A federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms team is scheduled to assist in the investigation this morning. Tweedy said the department asked for federal help because of the size of the fire and high loss estimate.
The 240,000-square-foot former Navy torpedo facility had a reinforced concrete ceiling and walls up to three feet thick. The insulated building created a naturally cool climate ideal for storing wines but bad for venting heat.
Firefighters couldn’t enter the building for several hours because the walls created an oven-like environment, keeping temperatures inside at unsafe levels, Tweedy said.
The building didn’t have sprinklers, but the fire alarm did go off, Tweedy said.
Jack Krystal, Wines Central CEO, praised Vallejo firefighters for their quick response. He said the company is taking every possible precaution to minimize customers’ losses. He couldn’t specify the loss but said clients had everything from shelf wines to rare vintages.
Doug Due, owner of Domaine La Due winery, went to the warehouse Thursday to see the building.
``I’m just happy no one got hurt or killed,’' he said. ``You can always make more wine.’'