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Iron Horse Vineyards

Pronunciation
ī(ə)rn hȯrs

Wine Tasting

The Iron Horse tasting room is open 7 days a week from 10am to 4:30pm. Tastings are $20 per flight of 5 wines (refunded with purchase).

Wine Club
Iron Horse has four different wine club levels to choose from. All levels include varying discount rates on purchases, no tasting fees in the tasting room and invitations to special events. The levels are:
* Winemaker's Choice includes 2 bottles shipped monthly.
* Club Joy includes a case of wine five times per year and a special lunch for two in the garden once per year.
* Corral Club includes 4 to 5 bottles shipped 5 times a year plus a holiday shipment.
* 2 Bottle Club includes 2 bottles of wine shipped 6 times per year.

Type of Producer
Iron Horse wines are all 'Estate Bottled', which means all grapes used for the Iron Horse wines are totally under the control of Iron Horse throughout the growing and winemaking process. Grapes come from the Green Valley AVA of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma from vineyards owned and/or controlled by Iron Horse.

Overall Producer Style

Overall Iron Horse sparkling wines are low dosage which contributes to crispness. They proudly display their Green Valley AVA terroir displaying refined minerality.

Annual Production

Approximately 15,000 cases are produced annually.

Key People

Current Owner
Sterling Family

Winemaker
David Munksgard (joined the winery in 1996)
David graduated from the enology/viticulture program through California State University in Fresno. Prior to joining Iron Horse he had experience producing still and sparkling wine in the Russian River Valley in California and in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

CEO/President
Joy Anne Sterling - Partner/CEO

History

A visit to Iron Horse Vineyards is a bit of a challenge, but well worth the detour off the beaten path and up a narrow lane. At the top you will find a laid back rustic atmosphere with an emphasis on enjoying the beauty of nature. Magical gardens and spectacular views welcome visitors. It is said that on a clear day you can see all the way across Sonoma County to Mount St. Helena. Exploring the history behind the Iron Horse logo and tradition is just part of the experience.

History

Iron Horse Vineyards name comes from the fact that it was originally a railway stop in the 1890s, the only railway stop in Sonoma's Green Valley. Deserted for many years, Rodney Strong rediscovered the potential in the 1970s and began planting vineyards comprised of Pinot Noir and half Chardonnay.

Barry Sterling and his wife Audrey met at Stanford University and married soon after Barry graduated, passed the bar to become an attorney, and was inducted into the Army. They eventually moved to Paris and envisioned starting a winery. They did not find their perfect site in France, but when they returned home to California, they continued their quest. In 1976 the Sterlings purchased Iron Horse and set about completing the vineyards and renovating the run down Victorian house into one of Sonoma's beautiful homes. The logo, a rampant horse on a weather vane, was inspired by a 19th century weather vane unearthed during the project. The first sparkling wines were produced from the 1980 vintage.

Three generations currently reside on the vineyard property. Barry and Audrey's daughter, Joy Sterling left a high profile career as a television journalist to become a partner in 1986. Joy is now CEO and her brother Laurence is director of operations. The winery has a loyal following with about half the total production allocated to their wine clubs.

Iron Horse was named an American Icon in "Icons of the American Marketplace". The winery is surrounded by beautiful gardens with flowers and trees, including over 200 varieties of roses. Visitors to Iron Horse will see firsthand the commitment to excellence and the love they have for the land.

Contact Information

Address
Iron Horse Vineyards
9786 Ross Station Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472

Website
http://www.ironhorsevineyards.com

Visitor Information
Telephone: 707-887-1507

Open Days / Hours
Open daily: 10am-4:30pm

Tours
Regular tours are by appointment Monday through Friday at 10am.
Winemaker David Munksgard leads a special tour through the vineyards followed by a private tasting on Monday at 10am Reservations required.

Please contact Iron Horse Vineyards directly for updates on open days, tours, etc.

 

Related Subjects

  • About the winery and it's key people
  • Contact and tour information
  • A history of the winery

Website
LINKtargetNEW XXXXFORMAL NAME website

 
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