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Date Printed: 8/8/2008
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(search item no. 90534)
Wine Enthusiast rating: 90 points
Wine & Spirits rating: 90 points
PRICE ON 8/8/2008: $37.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2003 Wine Enthusiast rating: 92 points
2002 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
2000 Wine & Spirits rating: 90 points
1998 Wine Enthusiast rating: 87 points
1997 Wine Enthusiast rating: 90 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 This is Iron Horse's Blanc de Noirs, made from predominately Pinot Noir. It has a beautiful, pale-peach hue. Rich and creamy, like pure strawberries and cream, this is without doubt the most romantic of Iron Horse's Sparklings. A favorite of many, Iron Horse is probably best known for this cuvée.

Marries perfectly with frisee salad with diced bacon and a Pinot Noir vinaigrette, Chinese chicken salad, scrambled eggs and caviar, rock shrimp and potato frittata, mushroom dishes such as a grilled Portobello sandwich or wild mushroom risotto, poached salmon - hot or cold, and chocolate dipped strawberries.
My Notes:

Additional wines from Iron Horse:

About Iron Horse:

 Iron Horse is a marriage of two vineyards: The Sterling family estate in Sonoma County's cool, foggy Green Valley and son-in-law Forrest Tancer's T-bar T Ranch in the Alexander Valley. The winery is best known for its sparkling wines, which have been served at the White House since 1985, beginning with the histroric US - Russian Summit Meetings, and at the White House millenium celebrations.

Half of Iron Horse's production is in still wines made from both the "home vineyard" in Green Valley where the winery stands, and from the T-bar-T vineyard in Alexander Valley, which on any given day can be ten degrees warmer.

At Iron Horse proper, there is an unusual, fine, sandy soil type called Gold Ridge, which is coveted for its excellent drainage and its extraordinary mineral balance, which directly contributes to wine quality. It is part of the reason why Iron Horse Chardonnays are so bright and distinctive and why their Pinot Noirs have a particular berry flavor.