It’s no secret that we are big fans of Amador County wines. Located in the Sierra Foothills AVA, about an hour east of Sacramento, Amador County is home to more than 40 wineries. While we haven’t yet visited them all, that is a goal we hope to eventually achieve! Of those we have visited, one of our favorites is Iron Hub Winery. Their striking tasting room is perched atop a hill with sweeping views of the valley and distant Sierra Nevada mountains. Seated tastings on their patio are some of the most relaxing and enjoyable we have experienced.
Iron Hub Winery was established by Tom and Beth Jones. Tom was the founding winemaker at Lava Cap Winery, in neighboring El Dorado County, In his almost 30 years there, Tom helped Lava Cap to become an award winning, locally renowned winery. In 2014, Tom and Beth purchased the property that would become Iron Hub Winery, and with their son, Spencer, began a new chapter with a winery of their own.
The name Iron Hub came about when Tom, on a rejuvenating excursion in the mountains of Northern California, discovered an antique wagon wheel hub. Amador County has a rich, Gold Rush history, and many settlers arrived via wagon. The wagon wheel hub was hand-forged iron, a lost art in today’s frenetic world. Thus, the name Iron Hub was born, because, well they say it best on their website:
The iron hub exemplifies the artistry and beauty of hand-forged tooling of days past. Tom and Beth named their new boutique winery on Steiner Road “Iron Hub” to reflect their joy of discovery and craftsmanship.
Of course, history and a beautiful tasting room don’t mean much, unless the wine is good. Let us assure you, Iron Hub Winery wines are good. Very, very good! We always come home with several bottles when we visit. One recent visit introduced us to what has become an Iron Hub favorite: their Sémillon 2018. We purchased multiple bottles, and are down to our last.
Sémillon may be an unfamiliar grape variety to some. Sémillon is native to Bordeaux, France, and is best known as the grape used to craft the luxurious dessert wine, Sauternes. It is also used as a blending grape, playing second fiddle to Sauvignon Blanc in White Bordeaux wines. 100% varietal Sémillon has been relatively rare, but is becoming more common, at least in Amador County! We know of several wineries here that produce 100% Sémillon wines. The Iron Hub Sémillon 2018 is one of our favorites, an opinion shared by those wine-loving friends who have been fortunate to taste it with us.
Exquisite and refreshing. Golden color. Aromas of honeysuckle and pear. On the palate, zippy acidity and flavors of pear, peach, honeydew melon, and apricot. Medium finish.
This is a wine that is delightful to sip on it’s own, but also has the backbone and structure to pair with a variety of seafood or poultry dishes. And as one might expect, 2018 is sold out, but we look forward to other vintages! If you make it to Amador County, be sure to stop in at Iron Hub Winery. If you’re lucky, they’ll have some Sémillon in stock, and you can experience this amazing find, too!
Cheers!
- By Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael-Reynolds
- Photos by Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael-Reynolds
Appetite for Wine 
The scenery is breathtaking. Great post yet again.
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Thank you. It’s a beautiful place! Cheers!
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