THE LARAINE STORY

Located in the Sierra Foothills of Calaveras County in the heart of California's Gold Country, Laraine Winery originally began as Gerber Vineyards, a small family-owned vineyard in 1989. Throughout the years, Laraine and David Gerber would escape their industry paced life in Hollywood by spending time in the idyllic township of Murphys, California.

In the 1960's, David, along with some college friends from nearby UOP, bought the historic Murphys Hotel, and in the 1980's he chose the area as the location of his television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

It was during this time that David and Laraine purchased a beautiful historic estate situated in an isolated valley outside of Murphys. After extensive tests, they found that the valley's microclimate and soil were perfectly suited for wine grape production. While the vineyards were being established, Laraine jumped into the viticulture business wholeheartedly; reading extensively, researching, and attending courses at the University of California at Davis.

When the Gerbers harvested their first fruit in the early 1990's, it immediately became apparent that this hidden valley was producing something incredibly unique and special in the Sierra Foothills. Wineries from Napa and Sonoma began to clamor to get their hands on varietals grown from the Laraine vineyards.

To further highlight the quality of their fruit to potential buyers, the Gerbers released their first wine in 1993 which received critical acclaim throughout the industry. As these hand-crafted wines gained in popularity, the Gerbers wished to share the vintages with others and expanded the vineyard and winery to its current size. Laraine wines can now be found at the historic tasting room in Vallecito and at premier restaurants and shops throughout California including the Bel-Air Hotel and Spago.

The Gerbers' investment in the winery has ensured that the vineyards are extensive enough to meet the ongoing demands of their clients, yet sufficiently hand-tailored to meet the particular needs of their winemaker John Gibson. In this venture they have been successful, and are looking forward to being part of the winery as it moves into its second decade of producing world class wines of distinction.