by Eyder Peralta, The Two-Way at NPR (8/25/14)
Luckily, a historic magnitude-6.0 earthquake in California over the weekend has not resulted in the loss of any human life.
The wine country, however, was deeply affected. While it's still too early to tell just how much the quake will cost Napa Valley, what's clear is that some wineries lost some of their most cherished reserves, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"David Duncan, president of Silver Oak Vineyards, was worried he lost 'every single barrel.' Instead, he seemingly got off easy; he only lost three barrels, but they were a top-quality vintage.
"Each barrel holds 25 cases of wine, and each case can cost $1,300. So they lost about $100,000 'just in the three barrels,' Duncan said.
"For Duncan, the loss is personal. He saw hundreds of his family's reserve bottles shattered. ...
" 'We actually call it the inner sanctum of the winery,' Duncan said. 'It's very special, unique reference wines, and we don't sell them. And so to lose them ... they are gone forever.' "
The Wall Street Journal reports that the earthquake is the strongest to hit the Bay Area since 1989. One seismologist said the damage caused by the quake could exceed $100 million. Napa County, which felt the greatest effect, contributes about $13 billion to California's economy.