2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
This exquisite vintage shines with festive brilliance—bright, elegant, and irresistibly celebratory. Inspired by clear, starlit winter nights, each sip dazzles with fine bubbles and a graceful, delicious, lingering finish. Crafted in limited quantities, Winter’s Cuvée transforms gatherings into golden moments of warmth and connection. A sparkling reminder that the season’s true magic lies in generosity and the joy of being together.
Sensory Notes
By nose: Generous and inviting, with layers of warm cinnamon and delicate toasted brioche. The palate is plush and refined, unfolding with notes of roasted nuts, bright citrus cream, and a whisper of mulberry, all wrapped in the comfort of spiced berry compote. Silky in texture and beautifully balanced, it finishes with graceful length that invites another sip. Crafted for moments of joy—whether gathered around a festive table or by a fire with marshmallows toasting.
Artisanal Winemaking
Hand harvested in the chilly fog of early morning, our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are gently pressed as whole clusters yielding base wines of great delicacy. The juice ferments slowly at 62° to 65° f retaining vibrant fruit esters. Our 2020 dosage is 10 mls of Brut LEX, 8 mls of 2019 Native Yeast Chardonnay, 8 mls of pre-bottle fermentation Brut cuvée, and 4 mls 1983 Special Blend in Magnum.
Precision Winegrowing
At Iron Horse “Estate Bottled” means that the winemaking begins in the vineyard. Our location in Green Valley, 12 miles from the ocean, represents the very best soil, climate and aspects for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Our goal is to grow the best wine grapes through what we call “precision farming.” All pruning, canopy management, irrigation and cover crop decisions are determined on a block-by-block (and sometimes even vine-by-vine) basis, considering both the vintage at hand and the long-term needs of the land. Certified Sustainable.
For Sparkling and Still Wine, Precision Harvesting is Key: Our only rule is to make the best wines we can. We wait until harvest to decide sparkling or still, as a key difference is the brix level (or the amount of sugar in the grapes, less for sparklings, more for still). Then winemaker, David Munksgard, considers berry size (bigger is better for sparklings, smaller for still), the health of the canopy, clone selection, even small details such as the relative dampness of the cover crop can make a difference. If necessary, parts of the same block may be picked on different days.
Specs
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Harvest Dates: August 18—26, 2020
Date Bottled: January 28, 2021
Current disgorging: October 2025
Alcohol: 13.5% v/v
Acidity: 5.7 g/L
Residual Sugar: 8.3 g/L
pH: 3.15
Malolactic Fermentation: 0%
Total Production: 500 Cases
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x - 2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Case:
12x - 2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
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.”
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling - $40 = 7.40%
I want to thank @chipgreen for agreeing to make this post on Monday. I had a minor inconvenience (needing to leave the house at 4:30am to travel to get my left knee replaced) and didn’t think I’d want to take the time before we left the house. BTW, surgery started at 7:00am, and I walked out of the surgery center (using a walker) at 11:30am. Things went very well, and I’m able to move around the house quite well (with the walker for balance).
We were selected to be “lab rats,” so thank you so much! When I opened the box and saw the sparkling wine I was excited. This is definitely in my wheelhouse.
We’ve had the pleasure of visiting Iron Horse twice now. The first time was a bit cold and rainy, and I thought the wines were a mix of “really good" and “okay.” The second time was sunny and warm—honestly the best wine in the world and gorgeous views. We never wanted to leave. If you haven’t visited yet, the views and the fun vibe are amazing. Our preferences on both visits trended towards their sparkling wine selections.
Now, onto the sparkling wine itself. My wife and I have similar tastes—mostly. Her love of Mezcal cocktails isn’t a reason for divorce just yet! We both love high-quality Cabs, Pinots, Merlots, Bordeaux, and really, really like Champagne (the real stuff) or good sparkling wine. We especially love wines with some age and yeastiness.
This Iron Horse sparkling is very dry and tasty right out of the gate, with plenty of tiny bubbles that made for a nice creamy mouthfeel. We paired it with caviar (see the photo). It wasn’t overly sweet—or “residual sugar,” as I’ve been told to say. It’s a pleasant drink on its own, but has a complexity that will pair well with food.
I’m very impressed and would say it’s a great buy depending on the price.
Also, for those tempted to make mimosas like you might with someone said the Michel Schlumberger bottle: DO NOT do it with this one!!! Sparkling wines are not cheap to produce, and I know California sparkling wines usually run between $55 and $95; I figured this one retails somewhere in the middle. At around $35 Casemates price, you definitely won’t be disappointed—unless you prefer sugary apple juice.
@ern1@rpstrong
I bought a 4 pack too:
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling
4 bottles for $179.99 $45/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $499.99 $41.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Sensory Notes
Artisanal Winemaking
Precision Winegrowing
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$900.00/Case for 12x 2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling, Green Valley of Russian River Valley at Iron Horse Vineyards
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 18 - Tuesday, May 19
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling
4 bottles for $179.99 $45/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $499.99 $41.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Less than 10% savings on the case vs 4-pack. Intriguing.
Auto buy for me, sounds delicious! I’m just about out of Gratitude so this is great timing!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling - $40 = 7.40%
I want to thank @chipgreen for agreeing to make this post on Monday. I had a minor inconvenience (needing to leave the house at 4:30am to travel to get my left knee replaced) and didn’t think I’d want to take the time before we left the house. BTW, surgery started at 7:00am, and I walked out of the surgery center (using a walker) at 11:30am. Things went very well, and I’m able to move around the house quite well (with the walker for balance).
@chipgreen @Mark_L & then the pain pills wore off…
@Mark_L
Happy to “Chip” in! Glad to hear the surgery went well.
@chipgreen @winecaseaholic Taking up further discussion in the CyberPub thread rather than continuing it here.
Oh hey, I’ve had this, though not this vintage, and it’s excellent!
Strong recommend.
No rattage?
We were selected to be “lab rats,” so thank you so much! When I opened the box and saw the sparkling wine I was excited. This is definitely in my wheelhouse.
We’ve had the pleasure of visiting Iron Horse twice now. The first time was a bit cold and rainy, and I thought the wines were a mix of “really good" and “okay.” The second time was sunny and warm—honestly the best wine in the world and gorgeous views. We never wanted to leave. If you haven’t visited yet, the views and the fun vibe are amazing. Our preferences on both visits trended towards their sparkling wine selections.
Now, onto the sparkling wine itself. My wife and I have similar tastes—mostly. Her love of Mezcal cocktails isn’t a reason for divorce just yet! We both love high-quality Cabs, Pinots, Merlots, Bordeaux, and really, really like Champagne (the real stuff) or good sparkling wine. We especially love wines with some age and yeastiness.
This Iron Horse sparkling is very dry and tasty right out of the gate, with plenty of tiny bubbles that made for a nice creamy mouthfeel. We paired it with caviar (see the photo). It wasn’t overly sweet—or “residual sugar,” as I’ve been told to say. It’s a pleasant drink on its own, but has a complexity that will pair well with food.
I’m very impressed and would say it’s a great buy depending on the price.
Also, for those tempted to make mimosas like you might with someone said the Michel Schlumberger bottle: DO NOT do it with this one!!! Sparkling wines are not cheap to produce, and I know California sparkling wines usually run between $55 and $95; I figured this one retails somewhere in the middle. At around $35 Casemates price, you definitely won’t be disappointed—unless you prefer sugary apple juice.
@ChiWineOne Quartz countertop, we have a very modern look kitchen.
@ChiWineOne
I already bought it, but how prominent is the cinnamon note mentioned in the description? Or is it subtle enough to get easily lost?
@mtb002 Lost.
I told my wife that I’d stop buying cases unless it was a must-buy. I think this qualifies. Time to go consolidate boxes to the racks to make space.
Who’s splitting in SoCal? Or a fall handover in Chicago?
@klezman is be down to split but wouldn’t want more than 4, if anyone else is interested
Anyone in Central Ohio want to go in on a split?
@cdn1127 Thanks to some local folks for working this out with me!
@cdn1127 /giphy egregious-fuzzy-knee
/giphy ludicrous-informally-muscle
@chipgreen are we sure it’s not Friday? Lol
/giphy talkative-unnerving-flamingo
Iron Horse bubbles are a rarity anymore. One of our favorite visits of all time. Grabbed 4
@ern1 4 cases? Or four 3-packs?
[They’re not offering 4 packs.]
@ern1 @rpstrong
I bought a 4 pack too:
2020 Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée Sparkling
4 bottles for $179.99 $45/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $499.99 $41.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
@catcoland @ern1 My bad - Y had today’s offer open as well.
Geez you had me second guessing myself, but it is indeed a 4 pack.