In August, Napa Valley prosecutors filed criminal charges against a winery worker they alleged caused the 2025 Pickett Fire, which burned 6,800 acres. Juan Luis Gutierrez Marfil, an independent contractor employed by Hundred Acre Winery, where the Pickett Fire originated, faces one felony charge of recklessly causing a fire of a structure and forest. At his September arraignment, Marfil pleaded not guilty.
But for the dozens of wineries and grape growers impacted by the fire, this wasn’t justice: They wanted to recoup their roughly $90 million in losses. Now, Singleton Schreiber, the San Diego law firm that claims it’s the country’s largest fire litigation practice, has sued Hundred Acre, its owner Jayson Woodbridge, and Marfil for damages.
The complaint, filed Nov. 5 in Napa County Superior Court, argues that Woodbridge — not just Marfil — is liable for the fire and demands a jury trial. Among the dozen or so plaintiffs are Robert Foley Vineyards, wine corporation Jackson Family Wines and Neal Family Vineyards. Some wineries that had previously told the Chronicle they were working with Singleton Schreiber, such as Robert Craig Winery and Summit Lake Vineyards, are missing from the filing…