Iron Horse Vineyards

Iron Horse takes its name from a 19th-century railroad stop, a history that lends the estate an air of deep California roots. The site was rediscovered in 1970 by winemaker Rodney Strong, who recognized the cool, fog-influenced potential of the Green Valley and planted the original Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards that still define the property. Audrey and Barry Sterling purchased the estate in 1976 and formally established Iron Horse Vineyards, building on those foundational plantings to develop one of California's first and most serious sparkling wine programs. The estate's reputation crossed into international consciousness in 1985 when its sparkling wines were chosen for the Reagan-Gorbachev summit meetings, launching a tradition of White House service that has continued through seven consecutive presidential administrations.

• Site named after a 19th-century railroad stop in the Green Valley of Sonoma
• Original Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines planted by Rodney Strong around 1970
• Audrey and Barry Sterling founded the modern estate in 1976
• Sparkling wines first served at the White House during the Reagan-Gorbachev summit meetings in 1985

The Sterling family has maintained total ownership of Iron Horse since its founding, and today three generations live on the 260-acre reserve. The second generation is firmly in command: Joy Sterling serves as CEO while her brother Laurence Sterling is Director of Operations, guiding the estate through its 50th anniversary decade. David Munksgard, who joined Iron Horse in 1996, has transitioned into the role of Winemaker Emeritus after shepherding nearly three decades of vintages, with his 30th vintage at the estate falling in 2026. Megan Hill has joined as the new Assistant Winemaker, representing the next chapter in the winery's cellar leadership. Joy Sterling's influence extends beyond wine production; in March 2026 she received the CENIC AIR Award for Pioneering Contributions Advancing Networking and AI, reflecting the family's engagement with technology and sustainability.

• Joy Sterling (CEO) and Laurence Sterling (Director of Operations) lead second-generation management
• Three generations of the Sterling family reside on the estate
• David Munksgard joined in 1996 and is Winemaker Emeritus, with his 30th vintage falling in 2026
• 2026 marks the estate's 50th anniversary, celebrated as the Year of the Horse

Iron Horse farms 260 acres entirely within the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley AVA, one of California's coolest and foggiest growing environments. Every acre sits on Gold Ridge soil, the distinctive sandy, well-drained loam that is prized for producing wines of delicacy and precision. The estate is strictly modeled on exclusivity, using only its own grapes for all wines with no purchased fruit. A substantial 82-acre replanting program has created a new generation of small-block, single-clone Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plantings, enabling greater vineyard expression across the portfolio. The resulting lineup includes six distinct Chardonnay expressions and eight single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, alongside a multi-vintage sparkling wine program. The estate is also engaged in a long-term 9-year creek restoration project at Green Valley Creek aimed at restoring salmon habitat, and launched the Iron Horse Testbed in December 2024, deploying sensors across vine blocks to improve sustainability practices.

• 260-acre estate 100% within the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley AVA, entirely on Gold Ridge soil
• Strictly estate-modeled; all wines made exclusively from own-grown fruit
• 82-acre replanting program delivering small-block, single-clone Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blocks
• Six Chardonnay expressions and eight single-vineyard Pinot Noirs in the current portfolio

Iron Horse has positioned itself as California's leading estate sparkling wine specialist, with more than half of its nearly 30,000 annual cases dedicated to sparkling production. The cool Green Valley climate, moderated by Pacific fog and marine influence, provides the slow, even ripening essential for building the natural acidity that underpins great sparkling wine. All sparkling wines are estate-grown, reflecting the house's commitment to single-source terroir expression in a category dominated elsewhere by blended multi-origin fruit. The portfolio spans classic vintage brut to single-varietal expressions such as the Blanc de Blancs, alongside commemorative releases including the Spirit of '76, produced for the estate's 50th anniversary. The Wedding Cuvee remains one of the house's most recognized wines. The estate also produces still wines, with six Chardonnays and eight single-vineyard Pinot Noirs offering a granular view of Green Valley's block-by-block variation.

• Close to 30,000 cases produced annually, with more than half dedicated to sparkling wine
• All sparkling wines 100% estate-grown, relying on Green Valley's fog-cooled climate for natural acidity
• Portfolio includes Classic Vintage Brut, Wedding Cuvee, Year of the Horse Blanc de Blancs, and the 50th anniversary Spirit of '76
• Still wine program covers six Chardonnays and eight single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from named estate blocks

Iron Horse occupies a singular position in American wine: it is the estate that placed California sparkling wine on the world stage, doing so at the highest diplomatic level when its wines were chosen for the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in 1985. That relationship with the White House has continued across seven consecutive presidential administrations, a record no other American producer can claim. Beyond its political symbolism, the estate represents one of the most rigorous expressions of the estate-grown, single-AVA sparkling wine ideal in California, proving that the Green Valley's extreme cool-climate conditions can yield sparkling wines of genuine complexity and longevity. The family's investment in sustainability, from creek restoration to sensor-driven precision viticulture, signals that the estate is building for another 50 years with the same seriousness of purpose that defined its founding generation.

• Sparkling wines served at seven consecutive presidential administrations since the 1985 Reagan-Gorbachev summit
• Demonstrates that California can produce world-class, 100% estate-grown sparkling wine from a single cool-climate AVA
• Long-term environmental programs include a 9-year creek restoration for salmon habitat and the Iron Horse Testbed precision viticulture project
• 50th anniversary in 2026 underscores a multi-generational commitment to the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley