Last year's California wine production was severely shrunk by the effects of the 2020 wildfires, but by how much? And what are the long-term effects on grower–winery relations? See also Smoke taint – a winemaker's view, Smoke taint – the Australian consumers' view and Smoke taint – the view from Oregon.
The 2020 vintage was, quite simply, a disaster for California wine. But until recently, quantifying just how badly the fires affected harvest has been difficult. The wine industry is understandably touchy when it comes to communicating what is perceived to be bad news about a vintage...