Ironstone Vineyards, run by the fourth generation of the Kautz Family, is located in the Sierra Foothills town of Murphys, in the heart of California’s scenic Gold Rush Country. In the early 1900’s, Frederick and Marie Kautz came to America from Germany, buying farmland through a US Land Grant in the Lodi region of the San Joaquin Valley. Frederick passed away in 1940, leaving the farm to his young son John, who in 1948 dedicated 12 acres of their farm exclusively to growing grapes. John quickly built an excellent reputation as a premium grape supplier, amassing over 8000 acres devoted to vines in Lodi and in the Sierra Foothills.
In 1988, John, his wife Gail, and with the help of their children, Steven, Kurt, Jack and Joan, decided to follow their dream of building a winery, a state-of-the-art production facility with 10,000 square feet of hand blasted cellars located 42 feet below ground that maintain a year-round temperature of 60°F used for aging Ironstone wines. Ironstone Winery is now the 6th largest wine grape grower in California. The family is a huge supplier to other much-larger producers, while using its premium grapes for their own wines.
