The Venue

Information On Ironstone Vineyard and the Surrounding Town of Murphys

Murphys, California is a small historic mining town that was established in the midst of the famous Goldrush of 1949. It is located only a short drive from Jamestown (where the Goldrush began) in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is home to the Historic Murphys Hotel which at one time housed many famous Goldrush characters such as Mark Twain, Horatio Alger, Ulysses S. Grant, and Charles Bolton, aka Black Bart.

Ali’s grandparents discovered this quaint town while on their way up to their family cabin, located just 45 minutes up the mountain. They fell in love with the area and retired there in a historic home near downtown, Main Street, in order to be closer to the mountains they loved. Ali’s other Grandmother, after visiting several times, also fell in love with the area and moved from Oregon, to just around the corner. This began the family tradition of summer, ski trips, weekend and holidays spent in Murphys.

Over the years Murphys (which is also called the Queen of the Sierras) has morphed from a sleepy historic Goldrush town, into an award wining viticulture area now known for its caverns for public viewing, a charming Main Street with friendly merchants and unique shops, spectacular wineries, art galleries, gold panning, and world class golf. Murphys has a climate that closely imitates that of some superb wine regions in France is now considered a mini Napa Valley with many winery’s tasting rooms located on Main Street and many more, located just on the outskirts of town. It was with this area in mind that Ben and Ali instinctively began looking for a venue for the wedding.

Ironstone Vineyard

Photos Of Ironstone

Ironstone Winery is the largest winery in the area, known as much for their wines as for their extensive 14 acre grounds and award wining gardens. Ali had not visited the winery since touring the gardens as a teenager and when she and Ben went to visit again, this time with the wedding in mind, they were both blown away. They immediately knew that Ironstone was the only place for them to celebrate their marriage.

Ironstone Winery is located roughly 2 miles outside of Murphys. On site is Ironstone’s state-of-the-art wine production facility, built in the style of a 19th century gold stamp mill. The facility and grounds alike are peppered with antiques and artifacts with historic connections to the surrounding area, including the restored Alhambra Theatre Pipe Organ in the Music Room. Ironstone Vineyards also houses a Culinary Exhibition Center, an Outdoor Amphitheatre for concerts, and Wine Aging Caverns.

The facility also includes a Tasting Room and Gourmet Delicatessen, with its monumental 42-foot stone fireplace and historic oak bar, and The Heritage Museum , which holds a collection of gold rush treasures, including the largest Crystalline Gold Leaf Specimen in the world (44 pounds).

We will be getting married in the Lakeside Garden. This will be followed by appetizers and drinks in the Culinary Center and dinner in the Alhambra Music Room. We hope that everyone who is able to attend will enjoy Murphys and Ironstone as much as we have over the years. We can’t wait to share our experiences and memories there with all of you.