A fire at a South Canterbury winery that destroyed millions
of dollars worth of wine was started by an electrical fault.
About 150 barrels of top pinot noir -- the equivalent of
41,000 bottles -- plus thousands of litres of white wine were
lost in blaze at the Crater Rim Winery in the Waipara Valley
last Thursday.
Winery managing director Graeme Coles told The Press that the
cause of the fire was a fault in the wiring near a switch
used for winery equipment.
He said insurance would cover the loss of the winery,
equipment and the wine, which was more than $100,000 but less
than $1 million.
But it would not cover the loss of profit on selling the
wine.
The destroyed pinot noir would have fetched more than $100 a
bottle.
