At Iron Horse Vineyards, winery sustainability and conservation grows naturally from our love of the land. It’s how we live, how we farm, and how we care for this special place. It means doing our best every day and striving to do even better with each new vintage. Above all, it means honoring the deep interconnectedness of land, water, wildlife, and people — and embracing our responsibility to care for them all with purpose and heart.
Nestled in Sonoma County’s Green Valley, in the Russian River Valley, we have always been guided by the belief that sustainability and stewardship are essential to the land, the wines, and future generations. Our conservation ethic isn’t about checking a regulatory box — it’s a voluntary, passionate commitment to enhancing and protecting the natural resources that sustain us.
Caring for our vineyards is a long-term promise: To nurture the land for future generations, to protect the environment, and to make ever-better wines that reflect the purity of this place.
Visitors to Iron Horse often remark that they can feel our love of the land. It’s in the creek beds we’ve allowed to return to their natural course, the wetlands that nourish native Coho salmon in Green Valley Creek, and the flourishing gardens that reflect the health of this special place. It’s in the centuries-old oaks lining the road to the winery, and the owl barns that quietly remind us that wildness has a place here too.
This year, survey crews from Sonoma Water (the Sonoma County Water Agency) counted 38 Coho salmon redds (nests) in the Green Valley watershed — the highest number recorded since the start of the broodstock program in 2001. It’s an incredible milestone for salmon recovery. The next generation of Coho is already growing quickly in ideal spring conditions. If you take a walk along the creek, you might spot a few. Thanks to steady flows, the creek should provide an excellent summer habitat.
We farm 264 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on seven intersecting knolls, with vibrant cover crops carpeting the hillsides in lush green each spring. The original Victorian home, where Co-Founder Audrey Sterling still lives at 94, sits at the heart of it all — surrounded by gardens, orchards, children and grandchildren, visiting great-grandchildren, and the lovingly tended Home Ranch vineyard block.
Everywhere you look is sheer beauty. Of course we want to take care of it.
We proudly embrace the U.C. Davis definition of sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. And for us, that extends beyond the vineyards — it includes supporting the extended family who make Iron Horse what it is, strengthening our rural community, and helping protect the natural resources that sustain us all — from our vineyards to the ocean.
Three generations of our family live on the estate today, and stewardship is woven into everything we do. We see ourselves as caretakers — lucky to be the stewards of Iron Horse in our lifetime. Every decision, from soil health to water management, packaging to shipping, is made with future generations in mind.
We are proudly certified sustainable. We don’t follow any single farming philosophy; instead, we are guided by pride in our land, determination to do what’s right, and a commitment to continually do better — for the land, for our wines, and for our community.
We are especially proud of our ongoing contribution through Ocean Reserve — a special cuvée that supports marine conservation efforts. This year’s beneficiary is Heal the Bay, helping mitigate damage from debris runoff after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Protecting the ocean is deeply personal to us: it is the source of our climate, the character of our wines, and the health of the planet we all share.
This Earth Day, and every day, we celebrate the privilege of caring for this place and renew our promise to protect it — so that the great-grandchildren can know its magic tomorrow.
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