Four Winds Cellars

Four Winds Cellars is somewhat off the beaten path in Calaveras County, but those that venture off Highway 4 heading to or from Murphys will be rewarded with a beautiful wine experience in a wonderful setting. The tasting room is located in an old farm house at the end of a rough and winding road, but it is paved. Once you see the wine barrels you have arrived.
David runs a nice tasting room with a great flight of wines. Most have the standard Calaveras taste, however he also has several unique blends which were a real treat. Some of my local friends really like this place too, which says a lot for their quality. Plus, the place is nestled in a very picturesque valley which is a real treat outside the typical Downtown Murphys experience.
I highly recommend stopping here on your journey. It is a bit out of the way, but it makes a great beginning or ending to a great winery tour.

Four Winds is our favorite winery! The tasting room is an old farmhouse in a beautiful setting. John, winemaker/​owner makes wonderful wine and is a genuinely nice man. His wife Ann is also super helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. David and his wife Helen complete the Fab Four of owners. David’s patience and expertise are what made us join their awesome wine club. Tanya, the tasting room manager is also very friendly and knowledgeable. No wine snobs here. Everyone who works there goes out of their way for their guests as well as club members. The wine club is the best! Fixed price — no surprises. They throw the BEST club parties and special events like «Winemaker for a Day» which included a vineyard tour lead by John, and a special «Pairing Seminar.» (Thank you Helen and Ann!) They are dog friendly too! You have to check them out!

Excellent wine and I loved the equally attentive and laid back personality of Tanja who poured my tasting. What a cool lady :)

My partner, Marc, and I have been members of Four Winds Cellars since the beginning. I’m in the wine industry and some think that it’s absurd for me to remain a wine club member with wineries since most of them extend a inner-​industry discount.
We couldn’t give up our membership with Four Winds Cellars!
David, the consummate professional, humorist, conversationalist, and wine purveyor… and OWNER of Four Winds Cellars… hosts amazing events, pours GORGEOUS wines, and continues producing outstanding new releases every year. The tasting room is off the beaten path… but WELL WORTH the short drive to enjoy these wines. Your taste buds and buddies/​family will thank you! Buy an extra bottle to add to your mix so that you can pop the cork and enjoy outside on the beautiful grounds.
Here’s a preview of some personal opinion mixed with 10 years experience building a well-​rounded palate… looking forward to continue learning and growing… snippets of our once again, lovely experience picking up our latest wine club two days ago:
Viognier: beautifully balanced, not sweet but fruity, earthy, floral– what I love in viognier;
Chardonnay: green apple, hints of tropical/​stone fruit, meyer lemon leaning (DELICIOUS);
Sangiovese: Succulent and yummy;
Merlot: Raspberry-​liscious & rhubarb tang… lightly spiced;
Tempest: Fabulous all-​around blend – my wine for my sinfully structured lasagna;
Syrah: the favorite out of the day (hit me just right!) – CLASSY, big, tasty, jammy;
Zinfandel: Prominent, zesty fruity flavors; spices; well rounded great mouth-​feel, divine;
Petite Sirah: Outstanding – a must try if you are a fan of Petite Sirah; and lastly
you don’t have to be a Cab-​snob to enjoy his lovely Cabernet Sauvignon!
JR
PS. When he’s pouring/​releasing his Cabernet Franc, a household favorite of ours, do try it… and make sure you buy a bottle, it seems to sell out faster than we like. :)

We went to Murphy’s & Angels Camp for a wine tasting weekend with a group of friends. Four Winds was our first stop leaving the hotel and we had such a great time, David was so much fun that I’m really surprised we didn’t stay longer. They are a smaller winery so you won’t find their wines in stores and the tasting room is very charming. They have a small selection of items to purchase too. The big hit is that it sits in a little valley and the hills around the building have all the vineyards and it’s just a gorgeous view.

Favorite winery in my favorite region. Usually ends up being just you and your crew, tasting consistently stellar wines which you’d pay more attention to if you weren’t having such a great time chatting with David. Do not miss this spot.

Great tasting wines and atmosphere in tasting room. Hearing stories about the wineries’ start from the 90’s to today made it fun as well as beneficial tasting wines I could drink every day. Joined the wine club, can’t wait for the first shipment and our first event.

We’ve been wine members for six years and love seeing David (one of the owners) every time we’re there. The winery is in a beautiful location.

This is one of the best wineries I have ever been to, from all points of view. I LOVE their wines. They are all solid and are at a very good price point. The venue is very cute and charming. We wanted to get married there but it was too small for our big party. Last but not least, David is amazing. He is very pleasant and fun, personable, and always a joy to visit with. The winery really is a hidden gem.

David,
Thank you for your great Co-​hosting job for the «Kerrie Kennedy» Bachelorette” Gathering on Saturday, July 26^th…
As always «You» do amazingly wonderful things for people and «You» are greatly appreciated…
The grounds @ «Four Winds Cellars» are just so beautiful… your wine is delightful and as local Murphys residents, we will continue supporting this super fun winery!
Judy K.
7÷31÷14

My wife and I were married at Four Winds (4WC) on ⁷⁄₁₉. We found the winery a few months before and had joined the wine club and visited several times to enjoy a glass in the shade on their beautiful property.
First, a review of Four Winds as an event location:
Outstanding, and all of our guests agree. They are still raving about the ceremony and reception, both held at Four Winds — and while I wish we could take all the credit, it was David’s communication, action, and stress-​squashing good humor that helped move things along swimmingly. From the day we decided under the oak trees — all the way to the last chair folded up late in the evening… he was there to offer help, answer questions, and pour more of the great varietals there.
Even for a hot July day — the large oaks provided perfect shade for a 6pm ceremony then reception. We had 9 tables for about 70 guests, a live band of four, and AQUA TERRA Culinary from Monterey area catering paella with local breads (Aria). Stringed lights already exist on the property (we added lanterns), along with a few picnic tables (we used these for the kids). There are 2 – 3 perfect spots for the ceremony; we chose between the trees looking over the hill and vineyards — perfect for our photographer (Sabrina Jovanna Photography) with great backlighting.
This is my tip to anyone considering 4WC for their wedding: Talk early with David, and check in often. He was able to clarify things quickly as we approached the big day, caught details that I’d not thought of — and had tips for local resources from caterers and bands to photographers, photogenic spots on the property and more. More importantly: Realize that you are renting the grounds and the grounds only. Go into this realizing that they expect you to leave the place as you found it. For the extremely reasonable rental fee (discounted to wine club members), and his small staff (read: one) I’d think it obvious and courteous to have everything covered from start to finish. Some reviewers here don’t seem to keep this in mind, or seem to have a bone to pick (that’s Unilocal,after all) for something 4WC really shouldn’t be responsible for.
That in mind — 4WC was cheerfully pouring wines throughout the night and keeping our guests happy, and gladly directed our friends and family that were helping set up and tear down. I can’t thank him enough for his courteousness, wit and humor. Raising a glass to you, David.
In reviewing the wine:
This is our favorite Gold Country winery by far. The Spanish-​style reds really stand out here: The tempest is by far my favorite. The cab franc is a close second and a must. They released a reserved chardonnay and viognet recently — both are really well done for the area, and nothing beats buying a bottle of cold viognet after tasting for a glass out under the oak trees. I’d say — finish your Summer wine tasting here with a picnic, and wander back to Murphys on 6-​Mile.
Again, we are club members — but I don’t frankly recall the cost or frequency. We just get an email that our wine is ready for pickup, which means it’s time for another trip to Murphys and Arnold. That’s all that matters to me.

We went to a wedding here. The wedding ceremony and reception were wonderful, probably because a family member married the couple and the reception was such a great party. It was at the end when it was time to clean up. This is when is met David one of the owners. He was so rude! I didn’t feel the bride should be cleaning up afterwards so I asked him to tell me what needed to be done before we left. He stated «put it back how you found it» I explained I wasn’t here in the beginning I’m not sure what it looked like. He then proceeded to tell me to «just go clean the bathroom» and «put all the tables back». So I went and cleaned the bathroom! Then I started to move the tables back asking where he wanted them when he then told me again «put it back how you found it» so I proceeded to put tables back with others as he would tell me I was off by a few feet! Staff came around while people were dancing clearing the tables and taking personal items to a table. It was crazy searching through people’s ties, purses, and shoes to
Locate my stuff. I understand that things needed to be cleaned but you would think David especially being one if the owners would have been able to present what needed to be done in a more professional manner. Really disappointing.

Very friendly tasting host, she was a lot of fun to talk to. We found one of the best Chardonnay’s I’ve ever had IMHO. That’s what’s so great about wine, one person may not care for it and the next loves it. The tasting room is quaint, nothing fancy. Oh and the Syrah and Petite Syrah are also very good.

A small sign on the side of the road lured us to Four Winds and we are very glad we took the chance. The owner, David, was behind the wine bar and interacting with him is the epitome of what a wine tasting experience is supposed to be about. Bottom line: the wine is as fantastic as the personal experience. We are members of a number of wine clubs in the Murphys area and other regions and so we get to taste a lot of wine. We bought a case because we feel that this is some of the best — and we will be back for more. Recommended.
Blaine & Wendy Mathieu

I happened to flip through my Unilocal reviews right prior to my recent trip to the Murphys area, and I noticed that the name had changed to «Four Winds Cellars.» Gasp! What happened? Don’t tell me the wine I so love is now different!
Well, my fears were quickly allayed on a visit to the tasting room. The winery is now owned by the winemaker John + tasting room host David. Same great wines (and for now, some still have Laraine labels), same great, welcoming feel in the tasting room.
And so, this remains one of my favorite wineries in Gold Country! Do take the time to stop in.

Laraine Winery was the first stop on our Murphy’s wine tasting trip. This place was super cozy and one of the owners was ever so friendly! I had been on a search to find a cute wine cork holder and purchased one here! The outdoor setting is beautiful and had lots of trees with picnic areas. I found it to be quite peaceful.
I normally gravitate towards reds but they had a nice selection of whites. This area seemed to specialize in barbera, tempranillo, sangiovese, and grenache varietals. If you are a Pinot Noir lover then this is not the region for you. The whites were amazing and very crisp. I also found the reds to be on the oaky and spicy side.
This was a quaint area for wine-​tasting and the downtown area was adorable and historic! Happy tasting!

We love this place — beautiful country setting off the beatin path, but close to Hwy 4 and downtown Murphy’s. David, co-​owner is almost always behind the counter and he is always fun and friendly, even though he talks a lil funny with his British accept.
There is a great picnic area in front of the old tasting room building.
This is a MUST DO if you are ever in this neck of woods.

The soon-​to-​be wifey and I decided we needed to get out of town. We didn’t want to spend alot of money, but we definately wanted to go somewhere that felt like an escape. So we packed the car and the dog and set off, not really knowing where we would end up. Well, fortunatley ended up here are Laraine.
When we pulled up we actually thought this was someone’s house. Built in 1880 it has a real cool, quaint feeling. The owner was there to greet us — a real nice English guy. Being that my fiancée’s grandmother is English, we had a good time sampling the wines (all of which are excellent) and hearing about England/​how he ended up in San Andreas/​etc.
Laraine really felt like someone invited you to their house to sit down and have some wine. It’s a shame they aren’t closer or else I would definately be a wine club member.

Stopped by Laraine on our way home from Murphys last weekend and am so happy we did! Really enjoyed the wine-​this is one of the best wineries in the area. I enjoyed all the wines, even though I am not typically a red wine fan. They did have 2 different chardonnays, which I really enjoyed. After tasting from about 20 different wineries in the area, I was told that chardonnay grapes did not grow in the area, but Laraine grows their own and makes some very good wine with them. This winery is a bit more difficult to get to than some, but is worth it!

YAY! This place is off the beaten path… we didn’t even know about it until another vineyard recommended it to us. The wines are SO worth the little side trip! So much so that we joined the wine club. Not like we need another club but there was no way we were leaving without it! I highly recommend their oaked Chardonnay, it’s smooth and delicious and tastes like butterscotch. The guy running the tasting room was hilarious… another Limey like my husband so the two of them hit it off quite well. Very friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. If you have the chance, definitely swing by here, it’s a treat: D