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vents intalled in spottswoode winery

Ember Defense Works with Spottswoode Winery to Mitigate the Risk of Wildfire Damage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (7/06/20) RENO, NV: Ember Defense, a wildfire home-hardening company, recently performed vent and gutter updates to Spottswoode Winery, expanding their range of clientele to include larger-scale commercial operations in addition to residential homes.

Spottswoode Winery is a 40-acre family estate in St. Helena, California, a vibrant wine community in Napa County and in a high-risk fire zone. Napa County has experienced devastating fires including the infamous Northern California wildfires, also known as the Wine Country Fires, in the fall of 2017. The series of 250 wildfires burned at least 245,000 acres in the North Bay Area, killed 44 people, and cost an estimated $14.5 billion in damages.

Spottswoode Winery is nestled amidst the wooded hills of St. Helena and the estate features large, ancient oak trees. The winery is picturesque but the beautiful foliage is also prime fuel for a fast-moving wildfire.

The work Ember Defense performed for Spottswoode Winery eliminated the high vulnerability of vents and gutters by adding Vulcan Vents to block the entrance of dangerous embers and Valor Gutter Guards to deter debris build-up. Ember Defense also screened the deck to prevent leaf litter and flammable debris from collecting and becoming a fire hazard. The screen will block embers from blowing under the deck in the event of a wildfire, potentially igniting the estate.

Owner of Ember Defense Devan LeBlanc saw the value of protecting Spottswoode right away, stating;

“You can’t simply replace a historical Estate such as Spottswoode. It’s not only the potential loss of wine aging for years and what it would take to recover from a devastating fire. It’s impossible to replace buildings dating back to the 1800s. All it takes is one ember that may turn a place you can visit and enjoy, to one only remembered through photos.”

The Novak Family has been growing grapes at the historic Spottswoode Estate since 1972 and producing exquisite wines since 1982 as a family-owned estate vineyard with two-barrel storage rooms. With Ember Defense products in place, they feel more comfortable knowing the most exposed places on their property have the best defenses against dangerous embers.

President and CEO of Spottswoode Beth Novak Milliken said;

“In recognizing the extreme fire danger we all now face due to climate change, I realized the need to be proactive in protecting our winery and estate buildings from the possibility of catching fire via embers. We were introduced to Ember Defense, and the quality of this organization, from coming on-site to give us bids for the project to then installing all, is notable. Adam and his team are communicative and professional; they did what they promised within budget and timeline, and they were a joy to work with. We are all greatly impressed with their work ethic and their focus on the highest quality.”

Ember Defense is a home-hardening company based in Reno, Nevada that specializes in fitting homes with Vulcan Vents, Valor Gutter Guards, wildfire sprinkler systems, and provides home wildfire insurance consulting. In the business of protecting homes from wildfire risk, they are now offering services to commercial properties such as wineries and hope to provide assistance to homes and businesses in high-risk fire zones.