KAUTZ FAMILY BACKGROUND 1926: The Kautz family begins farming the Lodi region. 1948: John Kautz Farms was founded. 1990: Afte ... r many successful years of growing winegrapes and several other commodities, the Kautz family completes work on the winery and hospitality complex located in the Sierra Foothills town of Murphys, California. 1992: Ironstone Vineyards debuts its line of wines. 2012: The California Association of Wine Grape Growers names Kautz Family Vineyards “Grower of the Year” 2016: Ironstone Vineyards enjoys global success with a distribution spanning North America, South America, Europe and Asia. KAUTZ FAMILY BRANDS: Ironstone Vineyards Ironstone Vineyards Reserve Obsession Wines Leaping Horse Christine Andrew Drifting Wines WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY The Kautz family philosophy of winemaking is that quality winegrapes, a touch of artistry, and the virtue of patience create captivatingly elegant wines. Our Winemakers deep understanding of each varietal and vineyard results in modern, fruit-forward wines for our “classic” white label range and intense, full-bodied wines for our Reserve range. VINEYARD HOLDINGS The Kautz family has 7,000+ acres of vineyards located in the San Joaquin Valley (Lodi Appellation) and the Sierra Foothills of California. The acreage primarily consist of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Symphony and Merlot. Additional acreage is comprised of Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. read more