Sonoma County - between it’s portion of Carneros, the Petaluma Gap, the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast AVAs, and not least the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley - is finally being recognized as one of the very best areas in America for Pinot Noir. Certainly, save for Napa’s portion of Carneros, generally far better than Napa County. It’s California’s only real competition for Oregon’s Willamette Valley and related AVAs. And, delightfully, produces Pinot Noir of a different character than Oregon. This is all a very long introduction to say that I have long been a fan Sonoma Pinot and that I have been extremely pleased to see my friends Joy and her family broaden their repertoire from their wonderful sparkling wines to increasingly outstanding still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And, to cut to the chase, Iron Horse still wines have become a majorrpmAUTOBUY to the maximum of the lesser of what is available or your credit card limit. Figure out the storage. And, in this case, even during COVID, figure out how to share it with a small group of friends who will appreciate seriously good Pinot Noir.
I haven’t had this wine in magnum, but I’ve had the 750ml a couple of times. Excellent wine that was developing nicely. In regular bottles, fine, fine drinking now, and likely to improve for another 4-5 years. In magnums, who knows! My guesstimate is that it will improve at least 7-10 years and hold a while after that. So you don’t have to have any fear you will be stuck with magnums during the pandemic!
A huge Holiday Hug to Joy, Audrey and all, and a moment to remember Barry!
@rpm Merry Christmas, Rob!
You don’t think the Santa Rita Hills or Santa Maria Valley also produce top notch Pinot Noir? Different again from Russian River, of course.
@klezman Yes, of course they do… and so can the Chalone AVA in Monterey county… and the Anderson Valley AVA in Mendocino county. But, as a Sonoma county native, I’m a bit a chauvinist for the wines ! It’s a bit sad, really, but so much mediocre Pinot Noir was grown and made in California for many, many years, that many people held a firm view that it was just not a hospitable place to grow Pinot Noir. Yet, the wine Andre Tschelistcheff was most proud of in his career in California was the 1946 ‘Beaumont’ Pinot Noir from Carneros fruit. He apparently became aware of the potential of Carneros tasting a pre-Prohibition (1918) Pinot Noir from the Stanly property in Carneros. And this from the guy who made both the 1941 and 1970 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de La Tour Cabernet Sauvignon!
I’d also say that while these regions are capable of making superior Pinot Noir, there is still a lot of very mediocre Pinot Noir from them, even now.
For me, what makes Green Valley special … especially for Pinot Noir … is our special soil type called Gold Ridge soil. It gives our Pinots an added depth of character. You get all the bright fruit I expect from Russian River, plus some deeper notes and complexity, and yet the weight and texture of the wine is still so light and silky it just glides across the palate.
@JoySterling Thanks Joy!
And we’re sorry about your father’s passing. I will always have fond memories of having dinner with him on the 2014 Woot Tour.
@chipgreen@JoySterling What a magical late afternoon and evening that was! I so enjoyed talking with your Dad and getting to know him a bit; what an amazing man. You are a very lucky girl to have had such a father!
From WE as mentioned above:
91 Points. Juicy in smoked cherry and a thick, velvety texture, this luxuriously pretty wine blends several estate blocks and clones. Forest floor, cola, clove, pine and black cherry highlight an integrated approach. It stays balanced and complex through a lengthy finish that further accentuates the spice. VB 9/1/17
How much more are you saving by buying 2 Magnums?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations) 2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum - $10 = 6.25%
2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
Tasting Notes
91 points ~ Wine Enthusiast
By nose: Cassis, licorice, black berry, red cherry, raspberry and roasting herbs. By mouth: Cola nut, dark cherry, black berry and dried herbs.
Vineyard & Winemaker Notes
Pinot Noir is where our special, Green Valley soil type, really comes to the fore. Gold Ridge soil is a sandy clay loam, so the drainage is excellent. Most importantly, all of the mineral elements are inherently, naturally balanced. The result is all the bright fruit you’d expect from Russian River, but with an underlying layer of earthiness and depth of character.
This wine shows how beautifully our Pinot Noirs gain with age. The wine has great complexity and yet the weight and texture is so light and silky, it just glides across the palate.
Specs
Vintage: 2014
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Harvest Date: September 9, 2014
Bottling Date: August 3, 2015
Alcohol: 14.3
pH: 3.58
Total Acidity: 0.50 g/L
Included in the Box
1-bottles:
1x 2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
Case:
2x 2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
Iron Horse is one of Sonoma County’s most prestigious, small, independent, estate, family owned wineries located in cool, foggy Green Valley. Iron Horse Sparkling Wines have been served at the White House for five consecutive presidential administrations, beginning with the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meeting in Geneva on November 20, 1985, which led to the end of the Cold War. Wine & Spirits Magazine has named Iron Horse Sparkling Winery of the Year nine times. From the beginning, Robert Parker has said, “These impressive Sparkling Wines…possess more texture and flavor than just about any sparkler I have tasted from California.”
Iron Horse produces exclusively estate-bottled still and sparkling wines with a distinct “sense of place”. They are specific to the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley AVA, plus the uniqueness of our vineyard, and the vintage at hand. As a result, our wines are elegant, bright, focused, highly nuanced, and silky smooth. They exude quality, grace and optimism. Above all, we strive for balance: balance in the vineyard, balance in the glass. For us, balance equals beauty. We never resort to recipe winemaking. We pride ourselves on our history and our evolution.
@chipgreen I think I remember seeing something that said everything from right before Christmas until probably this week has delayed shipping. The warehouse crews need a break!
@chipgreen Arrived yesterday… just the right size bottle for a socially distanced dinner for 2 couples… add an Iron Horse sparkler with appetizers and something appropriate to the dessert and bingo! A nice dinner party.
Sonoma County - between it’s portion of Carneros, the Petaluma Gap, the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast AVAs, and not least the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley - is finally being recognized as one of the very best areas in America for Pinot Noir. Certainly, save for Napa’s portion of Carneros, generally far better than Napa County. It’s California’s only real competition for Oregon’s Willamette Valley and related AVAs. And, delightfully, produces Pinot Noir of a different character than Oregon. This is all a very long introduction to say that I have long been a fan Sonoma Pinot and that I have been extremely pleased to see my friends Joy and her family broaden their repertoire from their wonderful sparkling wines to increasingly outstanding still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And, to cut to the chase, Iron Horse still wines have become a major rpmAUTOBUY to the maximum of the lesser of what is available or your credit card limit. Figure out the storage. And, in this case, even during COVID, figure out how to share it with a small group of friends who will appreciate seriously good Pinot Noir.
I haven’t had this wine in magnum, but I’ve had the 750ml a couple of times. Excellent wine that was developing nicely. In regular bottles, fine, fine drinking now, and likely to improve for another 4-5 years. In magnums, who knows! My guesstimate is that it will improve at least 7-10 years and hold a while after that. So you don’t have to have any fear you will be stuck with magnums during the pandemic!
A huge Holiday Hug to Joy, Audrey and all, and a moment to remember Barry!
@rpm Merry Christmas, Rob!
You don’t think the Santa Rita Hills or Santa Maria Valley also produce top notch Pinot Noir? Different again from Russian River, of course.
@klezman Yes, of course they do… and so can the Chalone AVA in Monterey county… and the Anderson Valley AVA in Mendocino county. But, as a Sonoma county native, I’m a bit a chauvinist for the wines
! It’s a bit sad, really, but so much mediocre Pinot Noir was grown and made in California for many, many years, that many people held a firm view that it was just not a hospitable place to grow Pinot Noir. Yet, the wine Andre Tschelistcheff was most proud of in his career in California was the 1946 ‘Beaumont’ Pinot Noir from Carneros fruit. He apparently became aware of the potential of Carneros tasting a pre-Prohibition (1918) Pinot Noir from the Stanly property in Carneros. And this from the guy who made both the 1941 and 1970 Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de La Tour Cabernet Sauvignon!
I’d also say that while these regions are capable of making superior Pinot Noir, there is still a lot of very mediocre Pinot Noir from them, even now.
@rpm Good points, all, as usual!
@rpm Thank you so much for the holiday hugs and for remembering my father!
@klezman @rpm
For me, what makes Green Valley special … especially for Pinot Noir … is our special soil type called Gold Ridge soil. It gives our Pinots an added depth of character. You get all the bright fruit I expect from Russian River, plus some deeper notes and complexity, and yet the weight and texture of the wine is still so light and silky it just glides across the palate.
@JoySterling Thanks Joy!
And we’re sorry about your father’s passing. I will always have fond memories of having dinner with him on the 2014 Woot Tour.
@klezman Great memories!!!
@JoySterling @rpm
@chipgreen @rpm Great photo! Really captures a moment.
@chipgreen @JoySterling What a magical late afternoon and evening that was! I so enjoyed talking with your Dad and getting to know him a bit; what an amazing man. You are a very lucky girl to have had such a father!
Merry Christmas!
Excited to see Iron Horse for Christmas. Thanks to Joy and WD for the offer!
/giphy iconic-toasted-choir
/giphy playful-melted-melody
@rjquillin What took you so long?
@InFrom had to check CT first.
Mine is a bit more current than others I know…
Who’s these Iron Horse folks anyway
From WE as mentioned above:
91 Points. Juicy in smoked cherry and a thick, velvety texture, this luxuriously pretty wine blends several estate blocks and clones. Forest floor, cola, clove, pine and black cherry highlight an integrated approach. It stays balanced and complex through a lengthy finish that further accentuates the spice. VB 9/1/17
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/iron-horse-2014-estate-pinot-noir-green-valley/
fwiw and Merry Christmas!
Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
$79.99 - $149.99
2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir
/giphy affable-caring-nostalgia
/giphy glistening-exalted-frankincense
How much more are you saving by buying 2 Magnums?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations) 2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum - $10 = 6.25%
Merry Christmas, everyone!
/giphy abominable-polar-mirth
@sndg two cute
Merry Christmas all, and what a present from Casemates and Iron Horse! We should all be filled with Gratitude
@mtb002 Merry Christmas!!! Gratitude is the word! My family and I really very deeply appreciate your great ongoing support and friendship.
@JoySterling
Thanks for making the time to join us, both in remembrance and celebration.
Over the years, you have been so special and extended remarkable warmth and hospitality to this group.
Wishing you and your family all the best in the coming year.
Gratitude and Joy are all queued up for the New Year.
@JoySterling @rjquillin well put. Grateful to Joy and her amazing family ( not to mention that incredible garden)
@rjquillin I can’t tell you how happy and proud it makes me that Iron Horse will be your toasting wine when we turn the page on 2020!!! Thank you.
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 xoxo
@JoySterling @rjquillin @Winedavid49
@JoySterling @rjquillin @Winedavid49
@JoySterling @rjquillin @Winedavid49
@chipgreen @rjquillin @Winedavid49 Magical! It’s fun to reminisce when the memories are so good.
/giphy icy-eventful-mouse
2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
Tasting Notes
91 points ~ Wine Enthusiast
Vineyard & Winemaker Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
1-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$272.88 at Iron Horse for 2x 2014 Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Magnum
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Tuesday, Jan 19
Merry Christmas
/giphy overjoyed-kind-snowplow
/giphy radiant spectacular gravy
/giphy Melodious-festooned-chocolate…
/giphy yummy-joyful-mirth
/giphy silent-blinking-home
/giphy sweet-baked-prancer
Anybody receive this yet? Mine still says “Processing”.
@chipgreen I think I remember seeing something that said everything from right before Christmas until probably this week has delayed shipping. The warehouse crews need a break!
@chipgreen @klezman true dat!
@klezman @Winedavid49
shipping notice received
@chipgreen @klezman @Winedavid49 same here
@chipgreen Just delivered about 30 minutes ago.
@chipgreen Arrived yesterday… just the right size bottle for a socially distanced dinner for 2 couples… add an Iron Horse sparkler with appetizers and something appropriate to the dessert and bingo! A nice dinner party.
@chipgreen @rpm Iron Horse sparkler with appetizers has been our go-to plan for well over a decade.