iron horse 50th anniversary: A year of Celebrations

Commemorative Wines & Marquee Events

Please join us as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Our milestone year coincides with America’s 250th, the Lunar Year of the Horse, Audrey Sterling’s 95th birthday, and Winemaker David Munksgard’s 30th vintage at Iron Horse.

Rather than a single moment, our 50th unfolds as a year-long celebration, honoring the people, place, craftsmanship, and continuity that have shaped Iron Horse from the beginning. Across the seasons and anchored by the release of three commemorative special cuvées, we’re planning intimate moments and signature experiences, that reflect the spirit, style and values that define us: family, community, long-term stewardship, generosity, and excellence in Sparkling Wine.

Winter

  • January 8
    New Release: Year of the Horse Vintage Blanc de Blancs
    The year begins with a wine created to mark the Lunar New Year and anchor our first Wine Club shipment of this milestone anniversary.
    BUY WINE
  • February 5
    The People Behind the Bubbles interview series begins
    A weekly Instagram series celebrating 14 Iron Horse team members with more than 20 years on the estate.
    FOLLOW ALONG
  • February 15
    Winter Oyster Sunday
    A triple celebration of Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, and Lunar New Year, featuring Year of the Horse, freshly shucked and BBQ’d Hog Island oysters, chocolates, and fortune cookies.
  • February 21
    A walk-around Lunar New Year gathering with Iron Horse in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Be sure to get on our mailing list (sign up below) to not miss out on future events. SOLD OUT.
  • February 26
    Puppets & Bubbles
    Celebrate the Year of the Horse by making your own Lunar New Year horse puppet at an early evening workshop at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Traditionally, zodiac animals appear in festival puppets that bring New Year stories to life -- this is your chance to create one yourself, while sipping Iron Horse bubbles. SOLD OUT.
  • Recognition of Wine Club members celebrating 5, 10, and 15+ years with us
Three people raise glasses toward a rainbow over a scenic, green landscape with a barrel in the foreground.

Spring

  • March 15
    Spring Awakening: Spirit of ’76 Jeroboam Gathering
    A celebratory pick-up party for First Edition Certificate holders honoring the release of Spirit of ’76  in Jeroboam. For those unable to join us in person, we’ll be happy to ship your Jeroboam directly to you.
  • April 19
    Earth Month Oyster Sunday & Eco Tour
    A guided walk through our truly amazing Green Valley Creek Fish Habitat Restoration Project, with a surprise around every turn. Oysters before and after,  and a glass of bubbly in hand. BUY TICKETS.
  • May 17
    Garden Party at Audrey’s
    Hosted at Audrey Sterling’s home when the garden is at its peak. The official debut of Spirit of ’76 in 750 ml bottle, poured alongside fried chicken and caviar. SOLD OUT.
A collage of hands holding champagne glasses amid flowers, greenery, and an elderly woman smiling indoors.

Summer

  • June 21
    Join us for one of the sweetest traditions at Iron Horse. Father’s Day Photo Day is a chance to gather with family, enjoy a tasting, and have your portrait taken against the breathtaking view that makes this place so special. RESERVE NOW.
  • July 1 - 7
    Spirit of ’76 Celebration Flight
    A celebratory tasting menu: Six days only, replacing our regular tastings, paired with small, all-American bites. Think salted Virginia peanuts and chocolate-covered cherries. Complimentary with a tasting flight. RESERVE NOW.
  • August: First Day of Harvest (Date TBD)
    A cherished Iron Horse tradition: a toast as the first grapes are loaded into the press. Celebrating our 50th harvest and David Munksgard’s 30th vintage, this spontaneous gathering is offered to those able to join us on short notice and includes a keepsake photo and signed bottle.
Seven women smiling and clinking glasses of champagne outdoors at a wooden table on a sunny day.

Fall

  • August 29 - November 8, Saturdays and Sundays
    To mark Iron Horse’s 50th anniversary—and Winemaker David Munksgard’s 30th harvest—we invite you to celebrate this milestone season with a very special debut: 2018 Golden Cuvée in Magnum, the third wine in our commemorative anniversary series, and a release as rare and celebratory as the occasion itself. Enjoy a flight of magnum bubbles in our Gazebo paired with our charcuterie and cheese box.
  • September 20
    Harvest Throwback Lunch at the Gazebo
    A revival of Audrey Sterling’s legendary communal harvest lunches—a marquee celebration honoring 50 harvests and David’s 30th vintage at Iron Horse.