Iron Hub Winery with Live Music in Amador County
Background
L to R Spencer, Beth and Tom Jones (photo from Iron Hub Winery website)
I have written several stories about Iron Hub Winery, specifically on their Chardonnay and Zinfandel wines. Both are exceptional and both have previously made my annual Best Wines Tasted in a calendar year.
Zinfandel: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/09/26/2020-iron-hub-old-vine-zinfandel-2/
We recently ran out of both their Chardonnay and Zinfandel and with summer about to be in full swing, both wines have many food pairings on the horizon. A visit was planned for Sunday to Plymouth, California in the lower Sierra foothills. Planned the visit with good friends of 47 years, the Strubbe’s.
The Event
The Sunday event featured live music from Georgetowne Music (Country and folk) with a food truck present. We brought various snacks (crackers, cheeses, lunch meats, grapes, etc.) to enjoy the wines being offered for tasting. It was a great day sampling the various wines which were offered and changing out and tasting others. We started with their 2021 Chardonnay ($34) and without a doubt a great vintage! Saw something new on their menu and asked if we could taste their Proprietary Reserve Chardonnay ($48) which I did not know they made. Frankie, our knowledgeable server obliged us and brought a bottle to serve us all a tasting. Also an excellent wine being 16 months in new small French oak barrels, 11 months in bottle. While excellent, for my taste buds it was a bit “too oaky” but still delicious.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up was the 2021 Barbera ($34) and their tasting notes offer up the following description: “The bright cherry and raspberry aromas are the first to be noticed, followed by plum and a hint of toasted oak. On the taste, the bright cherry continues with rich blackberry and plum up front. In the middle of the sip, subtle tannins and boysenberry emerge. The tannins are well integrated with the fruit flavors, and there is a long finish with dark berries, leather, and a touch of smoke”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This was followed by the 2021 Old Vine Zinfandel ($39) that again hit my personal preference for a drier, livelier and spicy Zinfandel. Their description stated “This Zinfandel wine is rich, has a full body, and a smooth texture. It has wonderful aromas of dark cherry, boysenberry, and spices such as white pepper and clove. On the first sip, the flavors of blackberry and cherry are prominent. The fruit flavors continue to develop with each sip, with boysenberry and sweet cranberry emerging. Flavors of vanilla and plum integrate with a nice structure of leathery tannins. On the long finish, the tannins integrate with plum, cherry, and a hint of pepper”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Our next wine was the Petite Sirah ($39) which was comprised of mostly Petite Sirah with 9% Old Vine Zinfandel, 8% Barbera, 3.4% Syrah. Their description was “the wine offers lush blackberry jam, blueberry, and plum flavors, with well-structured tannins and subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate and black pepper spice on the finish”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The one wine which had eluded my tasting for the last three years is called Resolute ($38) a red blend comprised of 78% Aglianico, 14% Barbera, 6% Syrah and 2% Mourvèdre. A collector and fan of Aglianico I was anticipating this wine to “wow” me immediately. Since it was not offered for tasting, I ordered a bottle for the table. While on the nose it was a beautiful bouquet and aromatic, the taste and flavoring was a bit subdued. An excellent wine but with the other varieties added, again a bit tame to add to the cellar. That said, a very good sipping wine and the bottle contents “evaporated” quickly!!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Here is a videos showing the beautiful vistas on the patio and a photo still showing snow on the higher elevations of the Sierra’s. What more could one ask for besides good wines, great company, fun music, delicious treats and scenery of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to make a great afternoon?
Video ©Michael Kelly
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We did come home with bottles of both the Chardonnay and Old Vine Zinfandel!
Sláinte,
Michael