Cellar 4201: A Deliberately Small Vineyard in East Bend
Greg Hutchins and Donna Carlyle Hutchins planted their first acre of Chardonnay and acre of Merlot in the spring of 2003, then added three more acres the following year, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. From the start, the goal at Cellar 4201 Vineyards was to stay small: extensive pruning for quality fruit over volume, with the majority of sales happening face-to-face in the tasting room. Greg handles vineyard management and sales; Donna runs marketing and works hands-on in the vines. After a trip to Italy, Donna developed a passion for Sangiovese — a notoriously difficult grape to grow well — and it has become the winery’s signature wine.
Cellar 4201 takes its name from its address on Apperson Road in East Bend, and its founders are active in the wider NC wine community, holding memberships in the American Wine Society and the NC Winegrowers Association.
The Wines of Cellar 4201
The vineyard covers five acres of premium grapes, all produced in small lots with hands-on attention through every phase. Depending on the season, the tasting room carries around seven or eight wines: Stainless and Barrel-aged Chardonnay and a Rosé for white-wine drinkers, and a red lineup that runs from the food-friendly Sangiovese up to the fuller-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Warrior, and Cherokee Red blends. It is a compact, well-curated list rather than an overwhelming one — easy to taste through in a single visit.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 4201 Apperson Road, East Bend, NC 27018
Tasting Room Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 12noon – 5pm, year-round (or by appointment); closed all Sundays in January
Visitors here typically choose between:
- Guided Tasting — a walk through the current lineup, poured at the tasting counter.
- Patio Time — cushioned seating on the patio, with cornhole set up and flowering plants surrounding the space.
- Private Events — Cellar 4201 hosts private parties, small weddings, and corporate events by arrangement.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: Cellar 4201 does not allow outside pets or outside alcohol on the property, so plan accordingly if traveling with a dog. Because the winery is only 15 minutes from Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University, and Reynolda Village, it is an easy add-on to a Piedmont-area day trip. We recommend budgeting at least an hour here to taste through the lineup and enjoy the patio, which is one of the more relaxed spots on the Yadkin River Wine Trail.
Because Greg and Donna keep production genuinely small, the tasting room staff are often the same people growing and making the wine, which means questions about a specific vintage or the vineyard’s history get real, first-hand answers rather than a rehearsed script. It is the kind of stop that rewards conversation as much as the pour itself.
Where Cellar 4201 Fits in Your Tour Route
Cellar 4201 sits in East Bend, part of the Yadkin River Wine Trail and close to several other small producers in Yadkin County, including Divine Llama Vineyards just down the road. Because it is on the eastern side of the Yadkin Valley, it works well as a stop that bridges a Piedmont pickup with wineries further west toward Elkin and Ronda.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time. Since Cellar 4201 only opens on weekends, we typically build it into a Saturday or Sunday itinerary alongside its East Bend and Yadkinville-area neighbors.
Because it sits closer to Winston-Salem than most of the Yadkin Valley’s wineries, Cellar 4201 is also a practical option for groups starting or ending their day near the Piedmont Triad rather than deep in Surry or Wilkes County. Its small-batch, low-key approach makes it a nice counterpoint to a bigger estate winery earlier in the day.
Wine Tour Transportation to Cellar 4201
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Cellar 4201 from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Cellar 4201 trip-planning page covers drive times, tasting-room hours, group sizes and pricing.
Travel in a luxury SUV, sedan, or Sprinter van with a professional chauffeur — everyone in your group gets to taste, nobody has to drive. We only charge from pickup to your last drop-off, and every tour includes a complimentary cooler with ice and water. Plan your Cellar 4201 tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Divine Llama Vineyards · Sanders Ridge Vineyard and Winery · Old Homeplace Vineyard — or browse all 54 Yadkin Valley wineries we provide transportation to.
Explore More from Ashe County Livery
- Yadkin Valley Wine Tours — Explore NC’s premier wine region
- High Country Wine Tours — Mountain winery service
- Wedding Transportation — Luxury transportation for your big day
- Airport Transfers — CLT, AVL, GSO & TRI
- Request a free quote — or call (336) 484-1350
🍷 Planning a Wine Tour in the NC High Country?
Ashe County Livery offers private, luxury wine tour transportation throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. Skip the driving and let our professional chauffeurs take you from winery to winery in comfort and style.
Serving Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Boone, and all NC High Country destinations • (336) 484-1350
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