x
Breaking News
More () »

More Than 97,000 Gallons of Red Wine Spilled Into a Northern California River

SONOMA COUNTY, Ca. — A creek near a vineyard in Sonoma County, California is now a bit more refined after more than 97,000 gallons of wine spilled Wednesd...
California-wine-spill

SONOMA COUNTY, Ca. — A creek near a vineyard in Sonoma County, California is now a bit more refined after more than 97,000 gallons of wine spilled Wednesday.

The wine was red and had the volume to fill eight large tanker trucks, according to CNN affiliate KTLA.

The culprit was a blending tank door at Rodney Strong Vineyards that popped open, spilling 97,112 gallons, according to a report from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

The spill has since been stopped, and 20% of it has been contained. An estimated 46,000 to 96,000 gallons have leaked into the Russian River, the report said. The Russian River originates in Mendocino County and flows into the Pacific Ocean north of the San Francisco Bay.

There has been no report of fish deaths, but the acidity of the wine is likely to kill insects the fish feed on, said Don McEnhill, the executive director of Russian Riverkeeper.

CNN has reached out to Rodney Strong Vineyards, Sonoma County, and Sonoma County Water Agency for additional information.

Rodney Strong spokesman Chris O’Gorman told KTLA Thursday that the winery is conducting an internal investigation and is cooperating with authorities.

“We are deeply concerned and are doing everything in our power to protect our waterways,” he said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out