1982 Iron Horse Zinfandel

Iron Horse Vineyards is in Green Valley, a part of Sonoma County. The estate was founded in 1976 by Audrey and Barry Sterling, a husband-and-wife team with extensive legal and political careers in Washington D.C., California and Europe. In 1976 the couple decided to turn their love of wine into a family project. They bought the estate, which today includes 160 acres of vineyards planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Iron Horse remains a family affair, with daughter Joy Sterling and son Laurence Sterling running the company. Given the years the family spent living in France, it is perhaps no surprise that Iron Horse is best known for its sparkling wines, which have been served at numerous historic events at the White House. Iron Horse usually makes up to 10 sparkling wines, which frequently earn ratings in the mid-to-high 90s from wine reviewers including Robert M. Parker Jr. and Wine Enthusiast.

Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area just north of Healdsburg, in Sonoma County. It was granted AVA status in 1984, with amendments made in subsequent years. The Russian River flows through the valley, and the region was named for Cyrus Alexander, a 19th century landowner and grape grower. The AVA includes 15,000 vineyard acres, much of it rich, alluvial soil layered on a bed of gravel, somewhat similar to many vineyards in Bordeaux. Alexander Valley is sheltered from marine weather by the low hills northeast of Healdsburg, though it is often shrouded in the morning fog coming off the Russian River. Some of the earliest commercial winemaking in the area started in the 1880s, when immigrants formed the Italian Swiss Colony cooperative at Asti. The region made jug wines until the 1960s and 1970s, when a new wave of quality-minded producers started estates. Today Alexander Valley is home to some of California’s most admired wineries, including Simi, Stonestreet and the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Silver Oak Cellars, though based in Napa Valley, has a second winery in Alexander Valley where it makes Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Many grapes do well in the Alexander Valley, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.

Zinfandel is a black-skinned grape, but 85% of the wine produced is made into a rosy “White Zinfandel.” Red Zin is far more complex and bold, while still being light-bodied. It grows in popularity as winemakers continue to experiment with new styles and blends.