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Iron Horse Russian Cuvee Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2020

Smile, it’s vintage bubbles from one of Sonoma County’s best houses!

$29
$58

Retail

50

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Flavor Profile: Cherry, apricot, yellow apple, clementine, Speculoos Cookie Butter, and Christmas spice
Time on Lees: 36 months
Farming Method: Certified Sustainable
Score: WRO93, WS92

Why We Love It...

We were giddy to get some of California’s best bubbles delivered to our offices… Iron Horse has officially arrived! Their 93-point Russian Cuvée is a compelling blend of 75% Pinot Noir with the rest Chardonnay, granting a creamy texture and substantial power that just keeps going! For under $30, darlings? You couldn’t ask for a better Monday pick-me-up!

Founded in 1976 by Audrey and Barry Sterling, Iron Horse is an innovative bubbles house in the cool and foggy Green Valley sub-AVA of the Russian River Valley, planted to 160 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Tucked away on a picturesque hillside of far western Sebastopol, the winery is named after the Iron Horse locomotive that used to stop at the nearby Ross Station at the turn of the 20th century. Today, second generation Joy Sterling is the winery’s CEO, while David Munksgard has been winemaker since 1996.

By practicing precision farming, the winery takes a stance toward sustainability, planting cover crops for erosion control, participating in a pilot program for climate-smart agriculture, and even helping restore a local fish habitat. This Russian Cuvee was first created to be served during the Reaga-Gorbachev summit in 1985, which some believe was the catalyst that ended the Cold War. Talk about iconic!

With three-quarters estate-grown Pinot Noir and a quarter Chardonnay grapes aged on the lees for 36 months, this is about as “Champagne-esque” as you can get here stateside! With a very giving personality and potent, mouth-coating texture, experience notes of plump cherry, apricot, and yellow apple, accented by clementine, a dollop of Speculoos Cookie Butter (the kind from Trader Joe’s), and a sprinkle of Christmas spice. This is powerful, yet sophisticated, with a tingly, lingering finish that promptly draws you back in for sip after decadent sip. Under $30, 93 points, and so much care and history in each bottle… this is a California legend for a reason, and one you should absolutely do your best to stock up on while you still can!

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Technical Details

Country: United States
Region: Sonoma County
Appellation: Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Vineyard: Iron Horse Estate
Varietal: Champagne Blends
Blend: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
Winemaker: David Munksgard
Farming Method: Certified Sustainable
Alcohol: 13.5%
Pair it with: Cider-braised chicken with carmelized onion

About the Producer

Iron Horse is an icon of Sonoma’s bubbly scene, founded in 1976 in the Green Valley corridor of the Russian River Valley. 300 acres of gentle, rolling hills was all it took for the Sterling family to fall head over heels in love, and now, this 2nd generation run family venture continues to craft some of the purest expressions of California sparkling wine to be had today. A fixture on the White House menu since the days of the Cold War – Iron Horse is a legend that awaits your discovery.

Iron Horse Russian Cuvee Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2020

$29
$58

Retail

50

Your daily bubbles

We’re wine drinkers, collectors, and part of the global wine trade. Mostly, we are totally stoked to bring you incredible bubbles at the best prices we can possibly obtain, every day.