Authorities say Mark Anderson set the blaze to cover up for secretly selling bottles he had been paid to store. He faces 19 counts in federal court in Sacramento, including arson, tax evasion, mail fraud, using a fake name and interstate transportation of fraudulently obtained property.

Prosecutors say Anderson was at the Mare Island warehouse in Vallejo on Oct. 12, 2005, the day of the fire. It destroyed wine from 82 wineries and 43 private collectors. Damage has been estimated as high as $250 million.

The fire cooked most of the wine in the warehouse. Winemakers tried to salvage what they could. One turned his ruined Zinfandel into "fire roasted" barbecue glaze.

Anderson, 58, was allowed to remain out of custody after promising to post a $500,000 bond.