2022 Iron Hub Chardonnay – One of the Best Chardonnay Wines Under $50
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Chardonnay typically does not do well in the warmer climate of Amador County and when first offered it I was taken back. It was explained that the vineyard for this wine is in Amador County but located at a much higher elevation called Spanish Creek vineyard in the Sierras at an elevation of 2700 feet. The cooler climate is ideal for producing exquisite Chardonnay grapes.
The small lot 2022 Chardonnay on the eyes is a glistening golden color with medium viscosity. The first aromas on the nose were like a shot heard around the world. Fruits of green and Golden Delicious apple and pear shouted out their presence in the glass. Secondary flavors of dry apricots were also present. From the first sip a creamy textural wine with previously mentioned fruits came together like a well-orchestrated symphony. Added to the mix was vanilla which was just slightly present on nose and became infused in the glass with gentle oak overtones. The finish was long, poised and glamorous like a family portrait with a hint of brioche. At $34 per bottle, this wine offers exceptional quality at a reasonable price, in my opinion. It comes in at 14.7% alcohol.
Aged in 34% new French oak barrels and the remainder being neutral French oak. Held in the barrels for 11 months and went through 100% malolactic fermentation.
Iron Hub Chardonnay has made my annual Best Wines Tasted each year for the last five years. It will also be included in the 2026 listing.
The current vintage is 2023 and is still listed at $34/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a new recipe called Baked Pistachio Crusted Chicken. A chicken breast is coated with mixture of grounded pistachios, garlic powder, onion powder, a dash of Cayenne, black pepper, salt and Dijon mustard. The flavors and texture of this chicken were excellent. Accompanied by Mediterranean couscous with herbs and baby asparagus. A tasty meal with the Iron Hub Chardonnay providing both a mouthful of texture and creaminess. A very intriguing and solid food and wine pairing.
The Winery
Photo from Iron Hub website
The winery was founded by Tom Jones from Lava Cap Winery fame in the Apple Hill area near Placerville. Tom completed his master’s degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis, and for almost 30 years developed award-winning wines. Tom and his wife Beth’s new endeavor began in 2014 with the purchase of the 33-acre property that had been known as Amador Foothill Winery. Having control of the grapes from vineyard to bottle was key in his quest for quality control with 17 acres planted in vines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The name of the winery came from Tom’s mountain sojourns in the area. On an adventure he discovered an antique, hand-forged wagon wheel hub in a remote area. This small winery on Steiner Road drew a parallel with his goal of making small lot artisan wines like the craftsmanship of the “iron hub” he found on a walk. The beautiful new tasting room was opened in December 2017.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Spencer, their son, following in his father’s footsteps by also graduating from UC Davis with a master’s degree from the Department of Viticulture and Enology, is the winery’s winemaker. Today, they established a dynamic father-son winemaking team. Spencer enjoys the demand of a hands-on approach to every aspect of the winemaking process, from tending the grapes in the estate vineyards to carefully crafting both red and white wines. They recently added 10 acres managing the Spanish Creek site they are leasing. Having now 27 acres of “estate property” to manage is keeping them very busy.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly