On a far edge of the charming gold rush town of Murphys, Ironstone Vineyards offers visitors a genuine experience that only begins with its approachable wines. Ironstone was founded in 1989 by the gail and John Kautz family, and remains family owned and operated to this day.
A visit to the winery and visitor's center gives guests plenty of opportunities to learn more about Sierra foothills history. The wine aging caverns, which served as Ironstone's first tasting room, were literally carved out of limestone and Calaveras schist rock. The compelling Heritage Museum displays 19th century mining maps, artifacts, photos, letters, and the piece de resistance: a 44-pound crystalline gold leaf specimen of the largest in the world discovered just 15 miles from the winery's grounds. The museum houses the Heritage Jewelry Shoppe featuring native gems and other treasures. There is also a culinary center for private parties, cooking demonstrations and classes, and a stunning music room featuring a fully operational Alhambra Theatre pipe organ.
Outdoors, 14 acres of beautiful gardens wait to be explored. each March, they burst with more than 300,000 daffodils and continue to dazzle guests all year long. The gracious grounds provide plenty of wonderful places to picnic with items from the winery's gourmet deli: alongside a natural lake, under a shady tree, or on a grassy knoll. In summer, the Ironstone amphitheatre draws world-class artists for the ultra-popular Ironstone Summer Concert Series.
Through the winery's grand tasting room doors, guests find a massive oak tasting bar that originated as a saloon bar in new York. Behind it awaits Ironstone's biggest treat: a plethora of wonderful wines to sample. Ironstone prides itself on its portfolio of exceptional wines of unparalleled quality and outstanding value. There is something to please the palate and pocketbook of every guest. With world-class wines and world-class hospitality, Ironstone Vineyards is the quintessential Sierra foothills wine country experience.