Amador Vintners Association Cancels Annual Wine Event to Support Mitigation of COVID-19
Plymouth, CA (March, 2020) — The Amador Vintners Association (AVA) announced that the 2020 Amador Four Fires Festival, which they host, will be cancelled. The association is taking this step out of an abundance of caution and to support recommendations issued by the California Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control to limit exposure to COVID-19 through the cancellation of large group gatherings. The festival, which was scheduled for May, 2020, was expected to draw over 2,000 attendees.
“We are incredibly disappointed to have to take this step” said Jack Gorman, AVA Executive Director, “but after much deliberation, the Board of Directors felt it was prudent to put safety over profit by limiting potential exposure to the Corona virus for our guests, winery community, vendors, and other event participants.”
Future events hosted by the Amador Vintners Association will continue as planned including: Barbera Festival, September 12, 2020 and the Big Crush, October 2-4, 2020.
Despite the cancellation of the Amador Four Fires event, the region’s tasting rooms are open and ready to welcome wine-loving guests. The association is working with winery members and encouraging staff to follow intensified sanitary protocol/procedures to maximize safety for guests and staff. These include:
- Following the recommended “stay at home” protocol for staff that are exhibiting any signs of illness, and encouraging guests to do the same;
- Ensure glassware for wine and water is always sterilized at 180 deg F in a commercial glass washer;
- Ensure guest tasting areas are cleaned and sanitized before and after guests and meetings;
- Frequent cleaning and sanitizing of public touch points, i.e., door handles, telephone handsets, chairs, arm rests, etc.;
- Ensuring all winery hospitality staff are frequently washing and sanitizing hands while handling customer glassware or any other products;
- Replacing communal dump buckets with individual disposable cups;
- Making hand sanitizer readily available; and
- Removing communal serving utensils from food programs (no self-service/buffet style).
- When feasible, conducting tasting experiences outdoors
“With all travel restrictions and cancellation of events across the region and country, people are looking for something safe and fun to do and we are here to welcome them to Amador” said Gorman. “Our member wineries are committed to delivering renowned Amador County hospitality in a safe and welcoming environment”.
For more information on the Amador Four Fires Festival, visit AmadorFourFires.com or call 209.245.6992.
For more information about the Amador Vintners Association or Amador Wine Country visit AmadorWine.com.
