Sonoma Wineries:
Iron
Horse Vineyards and Marimar Torres Estate Winery
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are created with Spanish flair at Marimar Torres Estate Winery on Graton Road. Marimar Torres is descended from the House of Torres, a Spanish family that has made wine since the 1870s and is today the largest independent producer in Spain.
Torres planted her Green Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards in an extremely dense, European style, at 2000 vines per acre, over four times the normal density in California. The organically farmed vines are also trained quite low to the ground, in order to receive warmth from the ground and protection from the sun. The result of these techniques is low yields of fruit with concentrated aromas and flavors. In a tile-roofed, golden-toned hacienda on a hilltop, the winery resembles a Catalan farmhouse, an elegant one, decorated inside with antiques and ceramics from Spain.
A narrow, oak-lined byway, Ross Station Road crosses a bridge and coils up a hill to a spectacular view of the Green Valley, the Sonoma and Mayacamas ranges and Mount Saint Helena. On the grounds of Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards, here, palm and olive trees and stepped gardens surround the restored 1876 Carpenter Gothic family home of the winery owners, the Sterlings. Iron Horse sparkling wines have been served at state dinners in the Reagan, Clinton and both Bush White Houses.
The article on this page is adapted from the book, Backroads of the California Wine Country by Karen Misuraca (www.karenmisuraca.com), published by Voyageur Press.
Photo Credit: The pictures on this page are by Lisa Moore. www.studioponderosa.com