Multnomah County joins wine industry lawsuits against PacifiCorp

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Many local winemakers were hit hard by the impact of smoke from the 2020 Labor Day wildfires on their crops, leading many to file suit against Pacific Power for their alleged role in the fires. 

Years later, the state's wine industry is still working to recover. Now, Oregon State University researchers are even developing a product that could help protect grapes from wildfire smoke. The spray-on coatings would prevent unwanted flavors in wine and could be available in the next few years.

"Family wineries, family vineyards, they have had a very difficult time weathering the storm after the 2020 harvest problems and COVID," attorney Robert Julian said.

Earlier this month, the courts gave wineries and vineyards the go-ahead to sue Pacific Power for their alleged role in the fires, after many reported entire grape crops damaged by smoke taint. Now, nine wine businesses – including Sokol Blosser – are joining suit, filing in Multnomah County. They join others who have filed suit in the state, including Willamette Valley Vineyards and Brigadoon Winery.

"Multnomah's important because the jury pool there is very sensitive, I think, to the losses suffered by the people in Oregon," Julian said.

Multnomah joins five other counties where wineries filed suit, including Marion, Lane, Washington, Yamhill and Polk.

KOIN 6 reached out to PacifiCorp when the lawsuits were first announced to move forward. They said, in part, "Whether these cases are ultimately dismissed by a court or rejected by a jury, the wineries' smoke damage claims are baseless."

Julian, who represents many of the wineries involved, says it's not true.

"All of the judges said that our claims were legal and deserved the right to stay on file and got our request for a trial date," Julian said. 

Julian's team also recently helped get settlements for the hundreds of homeowners and a handful of timber companies hit hard by the fires. He says he's confident the wine industry will also be taken care of in the end.

"If we weren't doing the right thing, why did PacifiCorp pay $550 million to our clients?" Julian asked.

The attorneys are hosting a town hall with area vineyards and winemakers at noon on Feb. 28 at the Atticus Hotel in McMinnville.