Ironstone Vineyards

Ironstone Vineyards is a winery located in Calaveras County in the California Sierra Foothills. Its wines are derived from grapes both local to their production facility outside Murphys, California as well as from the Lodi, California area.

Ironstone Wines

Ironstone is noted for several leading US brands. These include the Ironstone Vineyards brand with its "IronStone" logo, Leaping Horse Vineyards, Dog Tail Vineyards, and Sonoma Creek. As of 2004, Ironstone has been listed as the 17th largest winery (in terms of cases sold) in the US.cite web | url = http://www.winebusiness.com/specialsection/2005/Top30Wineries.cfm?winery=17 | title = The Top 30 US Wine Companies of 2004 - #17 | publisher = Wine Business Monthly | accessdate = 2008-02-23] Ironstone also sell significant amounts of wine in the international markets including the UK, Canada and 40 other countries.

Lodi Grape Growers

In addition to vineyards in the Sierra Foothills, Ironstone draws on the production from its Lodi appellation vineyards -- some 4,500 acres in all. John and Gail Kautz, founders of Ironstone, were the first to plant chardonnay and other wine varietals in the Lodi.Fact|date=February 2008 The Kautz family grows numerous varieties including Cabernet Franc, Symphony, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The family's Bear Creek Winery, founded in 1934, is listed as having 8,200,000 gallons of capacity making it the 24th largest winery in the U.S. [cite web | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3488/is_7_85/ai_n6135727 | title = Largest U.S. wineries | publisher = BNet Business Network | date = July 2004 | accessdate = 2008-02-23] Recent capacity expansions have increased this to an estimated 12,000,000 gallons, making it around the 20th largest winery in the U.S.Fact|date=February 2008

Visitors' Center

The Ironstone facility is located in Calaveras County, just outside of Murphys, California. The seven-story building is built in the shape of a gold stamp mill. [cite web | url = http://www.ironstonevineyards.com/index.cfm?method=pages.showPage&pageid=eb1f8825-ab39-5c1d-5dc9-bb0647d04608 | title = About Ironstone Vineyards | publisher = Ironstone Vineyards | date = March 2008 | accessdate = 2008-03-14]

A 44 lb. gold specimen, Ironstone's Crown Jewel, the largest specimen of crystalline gold in existence [cite web | url = http://www.sacbee.com/401/story/11558.html | title = Dazzling floral displays greet Ironstone visitors | publisher = Sacbee.com | date = 2006-10-02 | accessdate = 2008-02-24] , is on display in the Jewelry Shoppe. The Alhambra Theater Organ, taken from the Alhambra Theatre, is on display as well, and is played daily.

In March, Ironstone celebrates its Obsession Weekend in which its new Obsession Symphony wine is released in conjunction with a juried art show and other events. [cite news | url = http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/2007/03/06/top_story/news01.txt | title = Ironstone hosts successful Springtime Obsession Weekend | publisher = Calaveras Enterprise | first = Bethany | last = Monk | date =2007-03-06 | accessdate = 2008-02-24] Later in March, as Murphys celebrates its Irish Days [cite web | url =http://www.murphysirishdays.org/| title = Murphys Irish Days| date = 2008-02-27] , Ironstone hosts a multi-county judged daffodil show. Ironstone puts on annual concerts and in the past have featured acts such as the Russian National Orchestra; Dave Koz; Robert Cray; Michael McDonald [cite news | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/05/06/PK96448.DTL&hw=ironstone+concert&sn=002&sc=607 | title = Big-name acts press their case | publisher = San Francisco Chronicle | first = Philip | last = Elwood | date = 2001-05-06 | accessdate = 2008-02-24] ; The Doobie Brothers; Los Lonely Boys [cite web | url = http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/2006/07/27/news/calendar/feature01.txt | title = Community Calendar | date = 2006-07-27 | accessdate = 2008-02-24] ; Earth, Wind & Fire; Gretchen Wilson; John Michael Montgomery; Lynyrd Skynyrd; UB40; Vince Gill; Amy Grant; Peter Frampton; B. B. King; and Huey Lewis and the News. [cite web | url = http://www.winepi.com/ironstone_files/ironstone_concerts_2007.jpg| title = Ironstone Concerts Announcement 2007 | date = 2008-03-02 | accessdate = 2008-03-02]

In September, Ironstone hosts the Coucours d' Elegance car show [cite web | url = http://ironstonefoundation.org/index.html | title = Coucours Foundation | date = 2008-02-27] as a fund-raiser for California youth agriculture programs.

References

External links

Ironstone brands

* [http://www.ironstonevineyards.com Ironstone Vineyards]
* [http://www.sonomacreek.com Sonoma Creek Wines]
* [http://www.leapinghorsevineyards.com Leaping Horse Vineyards]

Other

* [http://www.wine.com/aboutwine/basics/winerydesc.asp?state=CA&next=%2Faboutwine%2Fbasics%2Fwinerydesc.asp%3Fwinid%3D1758%26ct%3D1925&winid=1758&ct=1925 Kautz family history]