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Extra Dry (aka Extra Sec) is a misnomer. Based on the Champagne scale, Extra Dry is “officially” sweet. Brut is the modern designation for dry Champagne. And, just to make things even more confusing, extremely dry is called Extra Brut and is the opposite of Extra Dry. The Champagne spectrum (called “Sparkling Wine” when produced…

Sparkling Wine ratings tend to land in the fall, giving us something new and shiny to dangle before your eyes like dancing sugar plums. We submit our five “core” bubblies for review to three national publications: Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits and Wine Enthusiast. The current crop of bubblies are vintage 2018. It’s fun to…

Inspired by the stunning images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, Iron Horse has created a new Sparkling Wine called Stargazing Cuvée to celebrate such an extraordinary scientific achievement and the astounding beauty of our earliest known beginnings. Whether you’re an astronomer, a space buff, or just love wine with incredible bubbles and flavor,…

Everything has been early this year – early spring, early harvest, except fall, which seems to be lagging a little bit. As you can see above, the colors are just beginning to show in the vineyards. In the garden… and on the table… The Gifting Season There is no lagging when it comes to gift…

Done! High five! Harvest is done. I cannot tell you how proud I am of our magnificent vineyard team. (Read our start of harvest post) Nor can I downplay the challenges. 115 degrees on Wednesday, September 7, just as we were beginning to pick Chardonnay for still wine. The whole harvest was unpredictable from day…

Harvest is off to a delicious start! The quality is superb, though quantity is sadly down. It is typical in a drought year (our third in a row) to have low yields, which thankfully correlates to higher concentration of flavors and superior wines. This is our 46th vintage at Iron Horse. Thank you to my…

Sparkling Wines age magnificently — especially vintage bubblies in magnum, but as with everything associated with wine, the deeper you delve into the topic, the more interesting and nuanced it becomes. How long Sparkling Wines last depends on the quality of the wine, how long it was aged en tirage, when it was disgorged (finished…

Iron Horse Vineyards Winemaker’s Choices Ever wonder what the winemaker pours for himself? Well, here are Winemaker David Munksgard’s picks our 2022 clubs. Members in our Winemaker’s Choice Club receive these delicious wines each month! Read his reflections here: October 2022: Joy! 2006 We were very honored to pour at the Wine & Spirits Magazine…

How Iron Horse Got Its Name and Why We Have a Rampant Horse on Our Labels Among the most frequent of frequently asked questions are: How did Iron Horse get its name? What is the significance of the horse on the label? And do we have horses on the property? The name Iron Horse come…

Dear Friends and Family, Happy Solstice! Summer in Sonoma is off to a perfect start. Birdsong in the mornings. Beautiful blue sky with white, puffy clouds. The jasmine is out and wafting in the breeze. The vineyards are a sea of green. This time of year, you can expect some delays on our road: My…

Sparkling Wine Pairings with Iron Horse Vineyards Sparkling Wines go with everything … and that’s true, but there are certain pairings that make for elevated experiences, when both the bubbly and the food taste better. Here are some of my favorites. All tried and true! Under the “who knew” category – Sparkling Wine Pairings with…

Celebrating the Unofficial Start of Summer Happy Memorial Day! I hope you have been enjoying parades, pancake breakfasts, BBQs, and the unofficial start of summer as we remember and honor our veterans. Memorial Day seems more significant than ever and we have some family and winery news to report. Our family has much to celebrate…