Nestled in the Sierra Foothills, Ironstone Vineyards produces affordable wines including old vines Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and many other varietals. The affordable Ironstone label wines make consistently good everyday drinkers, while the premium Reserve line offers delicious and affordable special occasion wines.
Ironstone Vineyards History
The roots of Ironstone Vineyards date back to 1948, when John Kautz was a crop farmer but had high hopes for owning his own winery. Over the years he proved to be a successful grape farmer, and 40 years after his career in the grape industry began, he and his family opened their own winery. The winery was not originally called "Ironstone," but gained this name over time.
Tasting Room and Delicatessen
Ironstone Vineyards is open to visitors who want to taste the wines produced there while also eating something in the tasting room's restaurant. The winery provides free samples of wine to visitors and the employees who work there are trained to talk about and explain the similarities, differences, and uniqueness between each of the Ironstone wines.
The restaurant at Ironstone Vineyards is known for the delicious food its chefs create fresh daily. The atmosphere where visitors can eat and taste wine is like no other. The views are spectacular and allow for great observation of the vineyards in the distance.
Tours
Unlike many other vineyards that charge moderate to high prices for a tour of their facilities, Ironstone Vineyards' tours are free. The tours start at different times during the day, and the winery is closed on only a few days throughout the year.
Events at Ironstone Vineyards
In addition to grape vineyards and wine making, Ironstone hosts many cultural happenings every year. Ironstone is the location where many shows, concerts and other large events are held. Event planners can use the Ironstone grounds to plan large picnics, parties, gatherings, and even weddings. On the weekends and on specific days of the year, there are gold panning demonstrations and lessons being given by an expert miner on the Vineyards' grounds. This is a popular demonstration that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
Ironstone Wines
The wines that Ironstone Vineyards produces are well known for their reasonable price and high quality. Because the wines are not overly expensive, many people purchase and enjoy Ironstone wines as "everyday" wine. In other words, for those people who enjoy a glass of wine every day with their evening meal, a glass of something produced by the Ironstone Vineyards is a likely choice.
Within the past decade, the winery began to offer its first production of "reserve" wines. The reserve wines are of the highest quality that this winery has ever produced and bottles are not available in stores. Visitors to the winery can taste the reserve wines during tours, or bottles can be purchased to go along with meals at some of the most well-known restaurants around the country.
Wine Club
Like most large and well-known wineries, Ironstone Vineyards offers a wine club, called the "Gold Club," to anyone who distinctly enjoys the taste of wine produced by this winery. Individuals new to the world of wine clubs will undoubtedly enjoy a membership in this one because four times a year two different types of wine are sent directly to the member's door along with detailed information about each selection, news about the winery and a listing of events being held there. In addition, if the wine selections are enjoyed, members of the Gold Club can purchase additional bottles for a significant discount.
Wine and Food
Besides enjoying samples of popular wines, guests of the winery are welcome to observe cooking demonstrations. Also, classes and instructions on how to choose the best wine to go with particular foods are available.
