Vina Moda

The wines here are amazing, especially the Grenache. Come here before anyone else knows this is the place to be.

There are many top notch wineries in Livermore, Napa and Sonoma. Murphys is a gem and Vina Moda is right at the top. Best barbera anywhere. Bold statement but it is true. Nate the wine maker is a wizard. He is incredibly talented and friendly.

I’ve been here a few times over the years but this last weekend they outdid themselves. Their new winemaker is legit! He’s doing big thangs up in foothills wine country (Napa too). I took home a bottle of the 2012 Barbera, the best barbera in the world according to Sunset magazine. Yup, a $ 34 bottle of wine is the best something in the world. I presented it to my wine loving in-​laws like a big game trophy, and we enjoyed it with tri tip. Now I’m thinking of how soon I can get back up there to buy more.

Such a fun and welcoming place! Wines are super tasty, we bought into the wine club! Had a great time with the girl who pours, she was HILARIOUS and just overall so awesome. Love this place!

This past weekend my wife and I had the opportunity to visit Vina Moda in Murphys. We loved everything they served. We found out we are not the only ones who think their wines are great. Many of their wines just won awards at the 2015 SF Chronicle Wine Competition. (They won 3 Gold Medals, for their 2011 Barbera, 2012 Barbera and 2012 Vinas Blend. They also won a Silver Medal for their 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon). It may be a small winery but all the wines are top quality.
We also met Nate, the winemaker, who is really friendly and very down to earth. We found that the staff is knowledgeable and took time to explain each of the wines. When you visit Murphys, be sure to put Vina Moda on your «to visit» list.

Vina Moda is one of our favorite tasting experiences In Murphys. It’s located near the only four way stop in town. The tasting room is in a historical rock building. Lots of character. Amazing bar top and antique doors. We joined their wine club after our first tasting. So many excellent wines. Sierra Rose, Barbera, Adon, Venas, Cabernet, love them all. The staff is very welcoming and we have come to feel a part of their family. My only complaint, they aren’t open every day. Don’t miss this tasting room!

One of my favorite places to stop when i’m in Murphy’s. They have some very good wines, especially their Cab which is to die for. Great people.

My husband and I always say we are going to make it down to the end of the block to try Vina Moda’s wine every time we are in Murphys. We finally did and we are now kicking ourselves for not getting here sooner! I’ve always loved the old unique building but now I know It holds beautiful wine and awesome winemakers! Nate is a genius! The wine was so good we went back the next day to make sure we had fresh palates to be sure we really did love all the wines as much as we did the day before… they were even better! We walked out with another bottle and a wine club membership. Dre, the lovely girl pouring our tasting Saturday was so sweet and accommodating. On Sunday Will was pouring and he could not have been more of a delight to talk to and so a tentative. This place will now be our first stop every time we are in town. Cheers!

Easy to miss since it’s a little off the main street, but it would not be a complete wine tasting trip without a visit here. Great décor, great tasting room staff and friendly winemaker who is often there, and most importantly, great wine. Best in town. Always a first stop on a tour of Murphy’s and most highly recommended to out-​of-​town guests.

If there was an award for cutest winery with crap service and mediocre wines this place would win hands down.
I am wondering if I walked in to some other winery then the one other people have described.
I have been coming to Murphy’s for over 20 years and I love that by walking around you can now try many wines from the region. Maybe Vina Moda is not used to clients that are there to find some delicious new wines to buy and enjoy later and not just tasting to get a buzz.
All I know is that we had horrible service from someone that could not even be bothered to tell us about the wines. Maybe because the 3 of us were happy to share 1 taste — but I have never been to a winery (and I have tasted in Sonoma, Napa and SLO to name just a few) that has had a problem with this. Our server would pour our taste and leave going to chat with another couple. Getting any information about the wine from him was like pulling teeth — no information about the type of grape, where it was grown, etc. — just «this a Merlot» When asked about which of the wines won awards (there were placards placed around the room) he answered «many of them» gee thanks. I asked about the new wine that he just poured for the other couple, he poured some for us stating «this is our 2011 Venus» and then nothing else. I had to ask what grapes were in it. I sound the wine to be VERY young and when I asked how many years should I sit on that so it could reach its full potential he told me «it is delicious now that is why we are pouring it». Uhhhh no, not really but thanks.
I am not usually one for long rants on Unilocal,but I was truly appalled at how we were treated today and honestly I cannot fully convey how rude our server was. Here is the thing, I usually will buy at least 1 bottle when I am tasting, if for no other reason than to have my tasting fee go toward the wine, and there was even one bottle there I even liked. But by the end of our tasting there is no way I would have spent more than the $ 5 fee. Besides at an average price of $ 35 a bottle these wines were overpriced for the quality.
After that we went down to Broll Mountain Vineyards– A little further down the same street heading away from downtown. Not only were we not treated like pariah, but Michelle gave us an extra glass to share the wines with at no extra cost and you know what — we bought 6 bottles (not only were the wines better but at a much better price).
So, skip the cute tasting room and walk a little further down the road.

Shortly after you enter the town of Murphys you will find a stand alone old cobblestone building that is from another time.
The building is so unique it will command your attention. Once you go inside the ambiance and architecture continues… There is even an imported wood carved door from India inside that is over 500 hundred years old.
Vina Moda serves up a few whites and a few reds. Their wines are as unique as their tasting room. They add a different element to each varietal that makes you say «that’s different.»
Different isn’t always good though. They have a nice Cabernet Sauvignon, and okay wines.
The tasting room is very accomodating and friendly. We enjoyed our time here and would come back. I would say this was the high point of the wineries visited in Murphys.

These guys used to be on the other end of town but have moved to a really cute old building further down Main Street. Apparently it’s actually the oldest building in Murphys. Very good wines here, I think we got to try four of them. They’re out of their Viognier, which was a bummer! We bought a couple bottles of the Barbera, which has a lovely smooth character. Almost sold out of that too! If you’re planning to stop by, keep in mind they’re only open on Saturdays.

Like getting cozy at a friend’s house with a great glass of wine (if that friend happened to have a great palate and live in Murphys, CA), Vina Moda Winery makes you want to settle in and talk. Super friendly and fun.
Make sure you get over there soon, other wise you might be told «sorry you’ll have to wait until our next harvest.» Their wine is amazing and gaining momentum. Don’t get left in the dust.

Approximately one month ago, Vina Moda reopened a tasting room in Murphys. The building is one of the oldest in Murphys. The interior underwent a lovely remodel complete with chandeliers and a gorgeous counter.
While there were not many wines to sample, what we tried was quite tasty. Our faves were the Barbera and Late Harvest Syrah. Both were very smooth and pleasing to the palate. Highly recommended.
Cin cin! ;)

Vina Moda has just solidified itself as #1 on my priority list for Murphy’s tasting rooms. The combination of great wine, warm and friendly proprietors, value, and a beautiful tasting room makes Vina Moda a must-​stop every time I’m wine-​tasting in Gold Country.
This being the second time I visited the relatively new Vina Moda tasting room, I was left with an odd feeling. First, I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the fact that many of their wines were sold-​out. Their fabulous Viognier was all gone… suddenly, that feeling of disappointment turned into relief, as I noticed the 2003 Cab and the 2006 Zin were still available.
Having recently completed a tour of the Dry Creek Valley AVA, I feel I have a decent frame of reference on what Zinfandel is and can be. Let me tell you, I love the humongous lively young Zins they produce there, but I also love the versatility of the varietal, as shown by the lighter style of Zin produced by Vina Moda.
Right off the bat, you can see the clarity and almost ruby red color of the 2006 Sierra Queen Zinfandel, which differentiates it from more dense Dry Creek offerings I’ve recently tasted. Even with it’s lighter color, the nose does not disappoint, offering an earthy backbone to its dark fruit and intense pepper scent. It did not have the jammy, extremely ripe aroma of a lot of Zins, which I found to be refreshing. The tannic structure is there, but with the 14.6% alcohol, it’s just a lot lighter on the palate than I’m used to.
I definitely remember the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon was the highlight from my first tasting at Vina Moda. I could go on and on about this wine. Apparently, the winery opened with this wine, and let me commend them on starting with a bang, because this is without question the best value in Cab you will find in the world. If you find a better value, seriously PM me, because I want to try that wine.
Speaking with the delightful French woman pouring the wine, I was informed that they aged this wine in the Bourdeaux tradition. This means oak barrel-​aged for 3 YEARS, as opposed to the Napa style of 18 months. I have no idea how they waited that long, but I’m certainly glad they did. You can obviously tell the added complexity makes the process worth it. I don’t even know where to start describing the aromas. Intense dark berries, caramel, and nutmeg burst from the bouquet, along with other more subtle aromas. Definition of complexity! I got goose bumps just smelling it, and the mouth didn’t disappoint either, as softened tannins and 13.5% alcohol lend an elegance to the finish.
I guess this wine won the San Francisco Chronicle silver medal for Cab in 2008. Not just Sierra Foothills, but from all of California (yes this includes you Napa). What does Vina Moda do? Sell it for $ 36. Not only that, any Joe Schmoe can walk in there and taste it for free! I feel like this is a gift for all of humanity. They are being extremely generous with this wine, and I love them all the more for it. Seriously, stop what you’re doing, drive to Murphy’s, and and go buy the ’03 Cab. Meow!
For those disappointed in the lack of tasting selections as of March ’09, come back in June for the latest releases. I’ll be there for sure.

Cool little winery in an old barn off the beaten path; and the owners are such a cute couple — you can tell that they really put their passion, hearts and souls into this place. The main tasting bar area is made with a huge slab of gorgeous stone. I love the warm sunsetty hues mixed with grey — very modern, elegant, and sexy; yet maintains the rural feel of the area. Love the rustic little details, doors, hinges, lighting, etc. They also sell hats, glasses, etc. Good wines, very friendly and knowledgeable service. I’ll be back!

I’m surprised that the 1 review for Vina Moda is only for 3 stars. We’ve been tasting in Murphys a few times now and this past weekend was our first visit to Vina Moda. True, it is a bit off of the main st. but it really isn’t that far of a walk from the main area where most of the tasting rooms are. It’s right off of Main st. and we found it to be a perfect place to park and walk down Main st. from. We started at Vina Moda by accident because we decided to park at the far end of the road and make our way back. We were super happy we did.
I loved everything about the tasting experience. Great service, which isn’t unusual in Murphys but still worth mentioning. The tasting room is super stylish and well decorated, I couldn’t stop looking around. Their Viogner was great and won several awards at the state fair and as my favorite varietal, I thought it was fabulous. It was nice to be served by the actual wine maker too. I fell in love with the glasses so I had to buy 2 and hope to get more.
You definitely must visit Vina Moda if you’re tasting in Murphys. It stands out from other experiences I’ve had and while the wine prices are slightly higher than other wineries in the area, I have to say it’s well worth the price. The owners are young but seem wise beyond their years in the art of wine making. They bring a sophisticated yet young and contemporary feel to Murphys which I definitely can appreciate.

New winery just outside of Murphys. Building was previously occupied by Black Sheep Winery.
One issue with this winery location is that it is harder to walk to from downtown Murphys. There is no sidewalk and the road is pretty busy.
The new owners have upgraded the tasting room, adding windows and very nice furnishings. The bar top is gorgeous.
The person serving us was very friendly and out-​going.
The wine was good, a bit on the pricey side for some. We did purchase a bottle of Barbera and a Zinfandel.
We will keep our eye on this one. We were told they are going to expand the grounds for picnicking which would be very nice. They did get licenses to serve wine outside of their building.
We will return.