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Firefighters, using an assortment of apparatus, were still working to contain hotspots Sunday afternoon at , 2909 E. Country Club Drive, said Willcox Fire Chief Dale Hadfield,

The vineyard’s 8,000-square-foot tasting room and restaurant were a total loss, Hadfield said. There was no immediate estimate of the damage.

The blaze started in a storage area, “that was the hottest, that had the most damage,� Hadfield said.

The fire is being ruled suspicious, Hadfield said.

“It is definitely suspicious just for the simple fact that nobody was at the building, and buildings don’t just generally catch on fire for no reason,� Hadfield said.

The winery’s owner, Doajo Hicks, was at Coronado Vineyards speaking with officials Sunday afternoon, Hadfield said. Hicks was not immediately available for comment.

The blaze was reported at 4:24 a.m. Sunday, said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department.

Aside from light rain that fell in some parts of Willcox Saturday evening, the National Weather Service had no reports of lightning or other potentially contributing weather conditions.

Daojo and Roxanne Hicks bought the 41-acre vineyard, five of which are under vine, in March 2020 from founders Mark and Jacque Cook, who planted the first vines in 2005 on what was once the Yucca Sierra golf course. A pine tree near the winery’s tasting room and other buildings is the lone reminder of its golf course roots.

In early June, the owners announced on Instagram that the vineyard was closing for the summer.

“We are committed to our community and are actively exploring options to return stronger than ever,� the June 11 post stated. “Your support means a lot to us, and we look forward to reconnecting with you soon.�

Coronado Vineyards in March filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy, according to court documents and Chris D. Barski, Coronado’s attorney in Phoenix.