This past weekend Fults Family Vineyards (FFV) announced the winner of their 2019 Wildfire wine Label contest. Twenty artists had submitted work, and for the past two months, customers have voted on their favorites. “It was close,” Kendall Fults said, “Only ten votes separated first, second and third.”
Remy McCosker took first place in the art contest, winning the privilege of being on the label of the next Wildfire blend and taking home a $400 check. “This is so amazing,” Remy said, flushed with joy. “This is a bucket list thing for me.” She could barely contain her excitement. Kim Brice and Kim Armstrong took second and third in the contest.
Also on hand was Marc Hill of the Lake County Fire Protection District. FFV donated $5 from the purchase of each bottle of their Wildfire Blend to help fire relief efforts. This year, Fults Family Vineyards donated $3,000 to the South Lake Fire Protection District.
Just before the first of the major fires hit Lake County, FFV vented a seven varietal red blend. During bottling, family friends and firemen Tony and Lisabeth Cuppoletti suggested to call it Wildfire. Within a few weeks of labeling the first bottles, the Valley Fire swept through the county, bringing extensive losses.
Even though FFV felt concerned about the timing of the newly released Wildfire, they decided to to sell it and donate a portion of the sales to the South Lake Fire Dept. That decision has been a wise one, as the Wildfire blend has been a complete success. Since the introduction of Wildfire, FFV’s total donations to fire relief efforts have exceeded $10,000.
