Iron Horse Vineyards debuts Stargazing Cuvee

When Joy Sterling saw the photographs taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, released by NASA in July, she was inspired to capture the awesome sight on a bottle.

“I knew we had to make a special cuvee the instant I saw the first images,” said Sterling, the CEO of Iron Horse Vineyards in Sebastopol. “My mother (Audrey Sterling) came up with the name — Stargazing Cuvee. Our winemaker, David Munksgard, steered us to the right dosage — something that is especially bright and really pops. Our label designer Mark Berry took the concept and ran with it.”

The collaboration brought the magnum of Iron Horse Vineyards’ Stargazing Cuvee to fruition. Aging since spring of 2015, it’s a blend of 75% chardonnay and 25% pinot noir. It was disgorged this fall; the winery produced 275 cases, with six magnums per case, each priced at $195.

“NASA released five images at the initial televised live briefing with President (Joe) Biden July 18,” Sterling said. “Since then, the gallery has grown to 21. Ironically, one of the most recent ones, released on Nov. 2, is called ‘The Sparkler Galaxy.’”

The photography celebrates the supergiant star Gamma Cygni, which is at the center of the Northern Cross, near the plane of the Milky Way galaxy.

The complex bubbly has yeasty and brioche aromas, which follow through to the palate with Meyer lemon and creme brulee in the mix. Stargazing is only offered in the magnum format, 1.5 liters.

“Magnum is the Latin word for great,” Sterling explained. “It’s the optimum size for bubbly because of the way it matures in bottle.”

Magnums, which have more wine in a larger vessel, can achieve greater complexity over time because they age more slowly than the standard 750-milliliter bottle. The lower air-to-liquid ratio, Sterling said, lengthens the maturation process, allowing the flavors more time to develop.

“The longer the aging, the tinier the bubbles,” Sterling said. “The mouthfeel becomes creamier, softer and more elegant.”

Magnums like Stargazing are perfect for holiday parties, Sterling said.

“Magnums just say ‘party,’” she said. “There is a spirit of generosity and bigheartedness to magnums. We do hope that Stargazing Cuvee captures the imagination because of the association with stars and wonderment.”

With holiday parties underway, uncorking a magnum of bubbly is a benefit for wine lovers; it means everyone can taste the same sparkler. In addition to the Stargazing Cuvee, here are five great magnums to uncork this holiday season if you’re planning a party and want to splurge.

J. Schram, 2004, late disgorged magnum, $400

Mumm Napa Brut Reserve, $90

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne, $160

Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs, $209

Louis Roederer Collection 241, $125

You can reach Wine Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.