Award-Winning Winery Sued by Napa Valley Wineries Over Alleged Role in Fire That Burned 6,800 Acres

A firefighter battles the Pickett Fire burning in the Aetna Springs area of Napa County, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Hundred Acre Winery and owner Jayson Woodbridge are facing a new lawsuit from more than a dozen Napa Valley wineries and wine businesses seeking damages tied to the 2025 Pickett Fire, which began on the winery’s property and burned approximately 6,800 acres.

The complaint was filed Nov. 5 in Napa County Superior Court by San Diego-based law firm Singleton Schreiber. It names Hundred Acre, Woodbridge and winery contractor Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil as defendants and seeks compensation for losses plaintiffs attribute to the fire, including damage to vineyards and smoke contamination of the 2025 grape harvest.

Among the plaintiffs are Robert Foley Vineyards, Jackson Family Wines and Neal Family Vineyards. The lawsuit demands a jury trial and argues that Woodbridge shares responsibility for the fire, not just the contractor who has been criminally charged in connection with it.

The Pickett Fire ignited Aug. 21, 2025, at Hundred Acre’s property at 2339 Pickett Road in Calistoga. According to charging documents cited by the San Francisco Chronicle, Marfil told Cal Fire law enforcement that he disposed of hot ashes in a burn pile, causing the fire. Marfil, an independent contractor employed by Hundred Acre, was charged in August with one felony count of recklessly causing a fire involving a structure and forest. He pleaded not guilty in September.

The lawsuit alleges that Woodbridge instructed an employee to pile and ignite combustible debris ahead of a planned wedding at the property. After the employee refused, the complaint alleges, Woodbridge directed Marfil to handle the task. Marfil allegedly used hot ashes from a fireplace to ignite the debris pile.

The complaint argues that the burning violated state laws and local ordinances, particularly given the hot, dry and windy conditions. It also notes that Cal Fire had suspended residential burn permits because of the weather.

The fire caused at least $65 million in agricultural damage, according to a preliminary Napa County assessment conducted about a week after the blaze. The survey identified damage to nearly 1,500 acres of farmland, representing more than 3% of Napa Valley’s agricultural land.

The plaintiffs say smoke from the fire damaged their 2025 grape harvest. Smoke taint occurs when compounds from wildfire smoke enter grapes and can affect the flavor of finished wine. Some wineries in the Howell Mountain region reportedly lost their entire 2025 crop.

The lawsuit also claims the losses extend beyond the affected harvest, arguing that wineries unable to release a 2025 vintage risk losing customers and market share.

Hundred Acre disputes the claims. Sam Singer, a spokesperson for the winery, said the plaintiffs’ grapes sustained little or no significant smoke damage, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The winery “categorically denies the allegations in the lawsuit,” Singer said, describing the claims as “an economic ploy from vintners who are struggling with the decline in demand and consumption.” He said Hundred Acre plans to vigorously challenge the case in court.

The Napa County District Attorney’s Office has not filed criminal charges against Woodbridge or Hundred Acre.

The new lawsuit follows other legal action connected to the fire. Three wine companies, including Outpost Wines, sued Woodbridge in early August after settlement negotiations failed. Woodbridge also previously reached a settlement with PlumpJack Group, which lost 60 of its 129 acres of vines at its Oso Vineyard in Pope Valley.

The lawsuit also raises questions about a planned wedding at Woodbridge’s property in the days following the fire. It alleges the event was a commercial wedding held without a required special permit. Singer has maintained that the gathering was a private party for staff and family on private property, and said Napa County issued no citation related to it.

The claims in the new complaint have not been proven in court.