The dog is cute and yes he barks but doesn't bite. The wines are good and there are several Zins on sale right now at a great price. The tasting room server knows wine and is friendly enough. I have been coming here for years. read more

Six of us visited over the weekend and discovered a rude server who even though we stated we were going to buy some wine he was upset because we didn't taste wine the way he wanted us to. Been to a lot wine tastings in my life and this one wins for worst customer service. Went other tasting rooms in Murphy's and had great experience. Talked to locals and agreed this guy has a reputation for bad service. read more

Location is in a basement. Service was freaking terrible. Server was rude, grumpy and unhelpful. The guy pouring the wine should not be in a forward/customer facing position. Wine was good, but there are better wineries in Murphys. Price for tasting and the wine is high given the average quality. What strikes me as really dumb is that Hatcher owns School Street, which is located is a beautiful garden setting on Hwy 4. Hatcher is only served in the basement location in Murphys and School Street is only served at the winery on Hwy 4. School Street is their less expensive brand, but is served in a more upscale location. I think they got it backwards read more

Here for the wine club dinner. Flank steak is tremendous and the service is great. As you can see by the pictures surrounded by wine barrels creates a wonderful ambiance. Oh the wine? Incredible try the 2017 Reserve 2nd crop Zinfandel. read more

See all

Terrible service, idk what this guy still doing there. The wine it's ok but doesn't worth dealing with that prick. He needs to retired and go home, let someone else with better customer services skills do the job. read more

They serve some of the best wines in Murphys. This is one of our favorite stops every time we visit. Sewell is very knowledgeable and helpful. read more

Don't go, staff not friendly and welcoming. Sewell is not a pleasant person at all. There are many other tasting rooms to visit other than Hatcher. In my opinion, Sewell needs to straighten up his act or just move on and not work for Hatcher winery any longer. read more

The wine is good, too bad the service isn't the same. You can be meet with an Egocentric "gentleman " serving you. Poor customer service. He even treated his employees rudely in front of customers The Cave feeling walking into the tasting room is cool though. read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Wine selection - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

Was our first stop while in Murphys. Walked down the step, thinking wow cool. Then saw a dog waiting at the door. Looked cute and thought again cool. Walked in and the dog jump on my wife scratching her legs then nipped at her. Guy pouring asked if we wanted to try some wine and we said not sure. He told us to come back when ready. Told him it was because of the dog and he told us to leave and not come back. I said wow, great service and he asked if I wanted a beating! Just what great service is all about. Dont let the high ratings fool you. Anyone can get a email account and give good ratings. This place may have good wine but horrible service. read more

Sewell was not friendly, would not recommend going. Didn't give us the time of day. Go anywhere else, had much better experiences elsewhere.

Hatcher Winery was recommended to me by a few people so naturally I went to Yelp for more details. Dear Lord...the reviews! Hysterical (and slightly accurate). Let's dive in, shall we? I was actually nervous to taste at Hatcher because of what I read on Yelp. Thankfully, my friend is a regular and she assured me we would be in good hands. There is a certain etiquette here. Allow me to elaborate: -Do not enter loudly. This is a serious tasting room and your boisterous bachelorette party is not welcome. -You will most likely encounter Sewell. He owns the winery with his brother. Sewell is tatted up, straight forward and likes to tell crass jokes. He's basically the Wine Nazi. Follow his rules or pay the price. -Do not eat the sourdough bread they make before securing a tasting. You will be punished. -Your group needs to drink varietals at the same time. Do not deviate from this. If all that hasn't scared you off, I promise that the wine is excellent and you get to try A LOT of varietals! Also, the sourdough bread they make is delicious. Sewell definitely isn't everyone's cup of tea, but you probably aren't either. read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

See all

Went during the Witch Walk. There were only 2 other couples in there but we were almost ignored. She was nice but barely had any interaction with us. Wine was ok. I bought a bottle just to waive my tasting fee, the fee was either $20 or $25. read more

See all

So much fun! This place is awesome. Sewell was our wine guy and their wine is tasty. We joined their club and am exited to see what's coming! read more

If you just want to get in, buy some wine and leave - you can do that at many different retail stores. Hatcher Winery's tasting room is comfortable, well lit (really pretty lighting fixtures) and the staff do a good job of spacing out pours and checking in with people. You shouldn't walk out of a wine tasting room with a buzz -- go slow, drink water, have a peek into the barn to see the classic motorcycles and cars nestled between the wine barrels. Delicious wines and reasonable prices. read more

Some of the best wines in Murphys. This is our go to first stop every time. We always enjoy a tasting with Sewell and staff.

For $20 for wine tasting they barely serve you any. And the owner was cocky and rude when we asked for a bag for the wine bottles he just threw it down on the counter and walked away. For it being my sisters first time time there, she told one of the girls working there he walked back and asked what's the problem, my sister told him she didn't appreciate the way he threw the bag down and walked away. His response was "Well don't ever come back if you don't like it. shocked!! To say the least. Never ever again. Should of walked out when we heard him being rude with other lady when we first arrived on the other side of us. read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Hatcher Winery in Murphys Ca - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

One of our favorites! A must stop every time we come here. Our groups always enjoy the conversations we have with Sewell! Lola is an added treat! Ignore the reviews from people that complain because this place expects your kids to not run around screaming in a small area with bottles of wine in it, or boozy toasts with screams of "woohoo!" Come in, act right, and you are going to love it! read more

Not even a hello nor welcome when we walked in! Supposedly it's a popular spot, it's not visible on Main Street, tiny tasting room. Packed with 2 big groups! We stayed around looked at T-shirt's and a few boxes of wines on the floor! Then we left! Don't come here if you want this service! There is another 30 wineries/tasting rooms in the Main Street that would greeted you warmly and welcome you in! read more

See all

Wife and I went to Murphys to spend the day and we happened across Hatcher. The tasting room is under another building and it's a really neat set up! Staff is friendly and the little dog is great! Wine is pretty good too. read more

Server was very arrogant. He put down every winery in Murphys. Also stated that French wine was better than the local wine he was serving.

I was a guest at the last event. It was sprinking, thunder and lightening with potential for rain. No cover or protection where we were supposed to eat. Power went out with no apparent generator. Owner was rude to those that moved a table under a cover and told us we needed to get our food last. When we went earlier than apparently he wanted us to, he came to our table and was very rude. And never asked us if we were ok to eat in the dark. Food was disgusting. Cold uncooked pork, tasteless apple sauce, cold tasteless pasta. Wine wasn't all that either. read more

We were in Murphy's for a 50th birthday celebration and we were excited for our 2nd day of wine tasting. Someone in our group had been there before and said the tasting cave room was kinda cool but the last time she went the guy who was pouring was rude. We went in anyway soon after opening and was immediately told very upfront and in a very angry tone by the guy behind the bar that it's was $20 per person for a tasting. We had 6 in our group and with only a few white wines on the list I asked if some could buy a glass of just white. He then very loudly and what I thought originally was sarcastic says NO we don't do that but you can go down the road to the winery and have that experience. Keep in mind that there was only 2 other couples there so it's not like he was busy. After being treated like we weren't good enough for their wine (Insert eye roll) we walked out. From what I see now in the reviews he might be owner or part owner but my god he should NOT be any where customers are if you going to act like an angry rude jerk. Too bad for them as we spend 2 days tasting up and down the street paying for tastings AND buying lots of wine.... read more

Hatcher is clandestinely located in a building in the back, off the street, down a flight of stairs. Underground wine tasting? Done. If you're like me, & you prefer red to white, then Hatcher is a perfect spot for you. They're red focused. And the reds are consistently great. They produce small batch, & if a wine isn't available that you sampled on a previous visit, it's because that particular wine sold out! They'll pull another wine to pour in its place, & despite your first like (or love) being gone, it's almost certain that you won't miss it for long. Todd was the wine host on both of my visits, & he's very knowledgeable. Open & real, he has a quiet charm with zero pretense. I could understand someone referring to him as standoffish, but the reality is that he's like a creme brûlée; you just need to crack the hard topping to get to the soft center. Something else to point out is how heavy Hatcher's presence is in the area. Sarafina's Italian Restaurant over in Arnold raved & recommended a Hatcher Zin to have w my dinner, & it was so good, that's what brought me here in the first place. Now, the thought of not pairing that Hatcher w the tortellini at Sarafina's is just unthinkable. Try the Mourvèdre. That's what I took home. 4 stars. read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - The resident pooch, immortalized on canvas. - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

See all

I enjoyed the wine but not the service. The owner rudely told a single woman walking in that they close in 40 mins and wouldnt pour for her so, I then stuck up for her and he relentlessly served her. He is abrasive and cocky and should seriously consider stepping down and let someone else do the pouring. Wine tasting has a vibe and the owner lacks that. . This place is a big "NO"! read more

Murphys has such an amazing selection of wineries in town but I have to say that this winery, Hatcher, is the best one of them all. Typically it's easy to find one or two wines at a tasting room that you latch on to, but at Hatcher I don't believe they make a wine you don't fall in love with. The staff are super friendly and down to earth and the tasting room is always packed with people waiting for their turn to step up and get tasting on! The Todd bread is the perfect pairing with your wine and palette break. I mean, come on? Fresh baked bread and wine? I feel like there's nothing better. If you come to Murphys for wine tasting, Hatcher is a MUST. And if there is a wait... it's well worth it! read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Hatchers Sewell as our wine of the night for Valentines Day at the Murphys Hotel - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

Here again after a couple years and the wine tasting was delicious. Sewell and Ashley led me through a great tasting. The white wine was so tasty the reds are to die for. All wines have complex nose and multi faceted palate. Excellent fruit and earthy tones that set this winery apart from all the rest here in Murphys! Great to be back in the wine club again ! read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

Absolutely delicious wines! Of the eleven we tried there was only one I really didn't care for which is highly unusual for me. While I'm more of a red wine drinker, their whites were refreshing and smooth on the palate. An added bonus is how reasonably priced the wines are--averaging $26-$29 a bottle. This is a tasting room you don't want to miss! read more

After tasting at Chatom I was very disappointed with the $20.00 tasting fee and just how incredibly lame the tasting was, the pours were like a swallow...so probably not into Hatcher as much as I was before...there are too many other good ones right around the corner to try out....be sure you do! read more

I just left Hatcher's tasting room with my two daughters. My youngest daughter is in the winery industry for many years. She asked the owner if they offer a wine industry discount on our wine tasting as is common between wine industry professionals in California and she has received it in Oregon as well. The owner responded as if she was trying to deceiving him. She expressed that she has a WSET level 3 certification and has worked in the wine industry at a high level for numerous years and he blew her off. It's not about denying the discount, it's how he treated her. He assumed she was lying and could have vetted her. Sadly for me, I invited my girls to Murphys to wine taste and she specifically was excited about Hatchers from her research. I'm disappointed and she is livid as she expressed, "never felt disrespected by those in the industry." Let me note that our server was a positive. I also have to note that the first pour that the owner stepped in on was to tout how superior his Chardonnay was over "California Chardonnays". Consumers - there are a lot of wonderful tasting rooms in Murphys that don't have the attitude and very little space. Perhaps the owner could reset his cynical response and vet those who are genuine. read more

Please don't ruin a beautiful trip to Murphy's by going to this tasting room! This was our second stop on a family weekend trip. There were twelve in our party altogether. Three of the twelve have been in the wine industry for most of our careers and now oversee buying for two casinos, three fine-dining steak houses, and two wine bars. We were all excited about and looking forward to our visit to this tasting room because of the awesome Hatcher wine that we have experienced over the years. With little verbal exchange from the tasting room server, she abruptly started throwing wine into our glasses with zero grace, sophistication or personality. There was no education or descriptions offered. About three quarters through our tasting the server changed to Sewell Hatcher the brother of the owner/winemaker. Our experience quickly went from bad to worse. We were not sure if this guy was on drugs or having a hot flash as he chose to remove clothing layers at our table while dripping with sweat and splashing wine everywhere. It was disgusting, to say the least. At the end of our tasting two elderly ladies had entered the tasting room to visit the bread table that was being offered. Sewell rushed over grabbed the bread and very rudely asked the ladies to leave the tasting room. Sewell turned the entire scene into an extremely uncomfortable situation for everyone. We quickly put our items to purchase back and asked to pay our tab so that we could leave as soon as possible. It's sad that the no-talent ass clown brother could single-handedly ruin what could have been a memorable and beautiful experience. read more

Loved the service, more than the wines. I read the other reviews about bad service, honestly our experience was quite the contrary. Sewell told us all about the wines, answered our dumb questions and gave us all kinds of tips. $20 for 10 (or 11?) tastings, even if they're small pours, is quite a great deal. And the fee is waived with purchase. What's not to like! The ambience of the tasting room is great too! read more

Literally 7 years since my last review and we're still in the club and still the #1 fans of Hatcher. We've been through a lot; 3 World Series Championships, 2 children, Trump, and the only constant in our life is our 6 bottles every quarter. Yes, Sewell can be a bit gruff - but if he's an asshole to you it 110% means *you're* an asshole so really he's doing you a favor in that you likely didn't know you're an asshole. read more

I seldom write negative yelp reviews.... but this was a must. I told the tasting room host (owner manager?) that I worked in the industry, and gave him my card. I never expect an industry perk, but when given one, I do appreciate it. He questioned my card, where I work, and made snide comments about how I probably seldom work since I live so far away. I love where I work, and the commute is worth it, and I sell crap-ton of wine. This guy must not be used to that. Decent wine, snotty, condescending service... I won't return. read more

Our group from San Diego staying at Lake Tulloch was very excited to visit Hatcher Winery in Murphy's. Unfortunately it did not match its 5 star review. Some of the Reds were very good but the wine maker who served us was very rude and made our visit very unwelcoming. I will definitely not be bringing my friends who are visiting next week! Murphy's was a very friendly and welcoming town and we had a wonderful time in all the other winery's, shops and restaurants! read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Shopping and wine tasting in Murphy's Ca! - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

The wines are very good, the prices are good, and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Especially Sewell. Some people find him rude, they just don't get his humor. Hatcher is a really fun place to go. We always go there to to taste and purchase wine when we are in Murphy's read more

My girlfriends and I went in to do a tasting. The man (Carl/Sule(dude with tattoos)) pouring was probably the most rude individual I've ever encountered. We probably should have left right away instead of continuing the tasting. So, at the end of the tasting Carl/Sule said our friend who had to fly home was stupid for not buying a bottle of wine to offset the cost of the tasting. Who does that? Additionally another friend was chatting and he would not continue our tasting until she either drank or dumped her pour. This man should not be dealing with the public especially in a town that has a such a large tourist population. read more

Maybe it was because the wine-tasting took place partially by candlelight. Maybe it was the intimate yet practical feel of the semi-underground, stonewalled tasting room. Maybe it was the tasting room dog who attentively scanned incoming guests for their petting potential. Or maybe it was the legend circulating about the gruff but gold-hearted wine-maker's brother, who might charm you one minute and cut off your head the next. Quite possibly it was because the whole thing was taking place in beautiful but headstrong Murphys, at the southern end of California's immensely intriguing Sierra Foothills AVA, where chic tasting rooms rub shoulders with brew pubs and candy stores and Gold Country saloons. On a Tuesday before Christmas, in the midst of an epic winter rain and snowstorm that saw three feet of snow dumped on the mountain peaks high above town and that made breaking trail on skis to Lake Alpine slightly more difficult. Whatever it was, the wines at Hatcher were eye-openingly great. All 9 of them - 8 delicious whites and reds and one ethereal late harvest Viognier ice wine - named Quinn the Eskimo. Naturally. The Hatchers make 20 or more individual varieties, sourced from across the Sierra foothills (El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras), including many from either their own estates or from local vineyards they manage. These guys know wine - from the roots to the barrel and all the way to the Riedel stemless glasses in which pourers dish out precious allotments of their carefully aged, judiciously oaked (French, American, Hungarian, new and neutral), award-winning wines. Estate and vineyard-designate Zins. Subtle and serious food-friendly Barbera, reserve Barbera, and Dolcetto. Tight and muscular reds using Bordeaux and Rhone blends. A hard-charging Spanish red trio of Monastrell, Graciano, and Manzuela. A superbly dark and earthy Petite Sirah. A crisp and clean Pinot Grigio. A deep and brooding port using classic Portuguese grapes. It's like 3 or 4 wineries in one. Locals and wine club members are fiercely loyal to the Hatcher credo: make great wines, don't compromise on your principles, and if they fail to fall in love with them, then let the critics and wine tasting masses go to hell. Or LA. Which is basically the same thing. There are always above-ground, LED-lit tasting rooms in Napa that will happily take your money and charge you double or triple what these guys are asking for wines that have sometimes been cellared for several years while still costing in the mid-20s and low 30s. If you haven't tasted before what 5 years of aging can do to a reserve ZIn or Syrah or Tempranillo or Cabernet, you really should come here to get an education. Maybe you don't think you would like these wines. Maybe you are enthralled at the moment by Anderson Valley Pinot or Monterrey County Riesling or Berkeley-made artisan Gamay. Maybe you simply want your tasting room trips to be red carpet experiences and would like some smiles to go along with that credit card receipt of yours. If that's you, then you definitely must come here - to see if your wine-tasting worldview just might well be shattered. We all need to challenge our conventional wisdom sometimes. And if you hate it, they probably couldn't care less, because wines like these aren't made to please the rush-to-judgement tastes of the like-me-on-Facebook generation. They are in it for the long haul, it seems, one vintage and growing season at a time. Drought. Or El Nino. Wild fires, earthquakes, rising sea levels, the Dodgers winning the World Series. Or whatever. You gotta admire the moxy, even if it means a little roughness around the edges. Builds character, as they say. A slightly tough skin isn't a bad thing, sometimes - for a grape or a wine lover. Wine is not just a product to be consumed, rated, written about on Yelp, and then forgotten. It's about a specific bunch of hard-working, slightly crazy people, and a certain number of acres of caretaken vines, which themselves can be a bit unpredictable to work with. But when the beauty of people, place, and bottled product come together, you'll feel the magic happen and you'll appreciate the whole package - the candles, the stone walls, the dogs, the baseball artwork, the attitude, and the wonderful wine that you, a mere customer, can procure. Red carpets and false charms most definitely not needed! read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Store front window entrance. - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

I'm surprised by the bad reviews. This place was our favorite winery in Murphys & we tried six different wine rooms. It's a neat location that resembles a small wine cave, but quite modern. The service was very friendly as we were helped by the owners brother - very down to earth guy as well as another woman (didn't catch her name) that was also friendly & helpful. The star of the place is the wine though - wow! We liked every wine & no other wine we tried that day compared to theirs. My absolute favorite was their 2009 Shake Ridge Reserve Zinfandel, but really all of their reds were good. I would have bought all if my wallet would have allowed. We started on such a high note with this winery that tasting good to mediocre wine the rest of the day sort of bummed us out. Oh well, at least we had the best. Go to Hatcher because life is too short to drink mediocre wine. read more

Hatcher Winery Tasting Room - Entrance to the tasting room. - Wineries Near Me - Murphys, California

Most unbelievably horrendous customer service I have ever experienced paired with some pretty crappy wine. Like .. atrociously, intentionally, mean and rude. We came in with a small bachelorette group, 5-6 ladies, and from the moment "Sewell" & "Sarah" saw us, we were labeled. I can understand if a bar/restaurant has had problems with rowdy parties in their past .. but you are still a business.. and a group coming in, means profit. And you should professionally give them a chance. Several ladies in the group were former bartenders/servers and were prepared to buy bottles and tip well. However we weren't even given the chance. Our server, Sarah refused to describe any wines, and when one of the ladies asked for an extra sip of one .. bc she was interested in buying a bottle, Sarah refused to pour her more. Her attitude and demeanor from the moment she saw us was dismissive and rude. So I approached the bar to ask, I assume the manager, what we could do to make the situation better. As a former bartender, I was prepared to close out with Sarah, and tip her, and potentially have a different person help us since she was so obviously not in the mood to work with us. The manager told me "whoever can serve you is going to serve you. Do you have a problem with Sarah?" Trying to be nice and avoid the problem I said "No, you know I just don't think we are on the same page, and was hoping since we got such good recommendations about you from the winery next door, maybe you could help us?" Only to have him say "Well obviously you personally just have a problem with her and that's your problem. Whoever can pour your wine is going to pour you wine." So I responded, "Again, we're really excited to be here and just want to have a good experience. Is there no one else that could help us?" And then he said "No. Your problem is your problem. You clearly have an issue and I don't know what your problem is." Verbatim. I'm not exaggerating. So we offered to pay for what we had tasted, and left. read more

It's a nice little winery, and the Chardonnay is excellent! I like the stone design, and it's an intimate setting to do your tasting. Tastings are $10, but waived with the purchase of a bottle. read more