Team C&J
The number of urban wineries and tasting rooms popping up in Orange County is on the rise. We had the pleasure of visiting the Bianchi tasting room in Laguna Beach and can confirm the quality of the wine scene in Southern California is constantly improving. While Laguna Canyon Winery has been on the scene for over a decade, the winery, founded by J.J. Huber in 2005, just keeps getting better and better.
J.J. first brought his urban winery concept to life in Canada, where he was born and raised. After opening two successful wineries in the Vancouver area, he set his sights on something bigger: California. With his Laguna Canyon Winery, J.J. aims to bring the Napa Valley and Sonoma County vibe to beachy Southern California; thus far, success has followed south to the Golden State.
Despite having a penchant for Italian winemaking equipment, and traditional Italian winemaking methods – Laguna Canyon Winery exclusively uses Italian crush machines – Huber is drawn mostly to French grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma and Napa Valley.
Huber’s Laguna Canyon wines are popular in the Orange Country wine community, with numerous bottles winning medals at the annual OC Fair Wine competition. In 2018, the winery took home Double Gold for its 2016 Proprietary White which is a blend of 33% pinot gris, 33% sauvignon blanc, 17% chardonnay, and 17% semillon.
In the last few years, J.J. has handed the winemaking reins to Heather Nenow, who was previously the head winemaker at the Belle Fiore Estate Winery, an unbelievably beautiful winery in Ashland, Oregon. As an aside, if you’re up in Ashland, we recommend staying at the Ashland Creek Inn. We believe it’s one of the best hotels near Willamette Wine Country, and we highly recommend it.
Heather studied viticulture at UC Davis, although ‘studied’ might not be the best word for her expertise – she has a master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology. She brings over twenty years of experience to her position as head winemaker for Laguna Canyon, including time at E & J Gallo’s Columbia Winery and as a winemaker for Constellation’s Woodbridge imprint.
Established in March 2015, Sonoma’s Fountaingrove District is one of California’s newer designated grape-growing regions and the 17th within Sonoma County. The Fountaingrove AVA is located south of Knights Valley and north of the Sonoma Valley AVA. Immediately to the east is Napa Valley, so the area gets somewhat warmer than the more western Sonoma County wine regions.
Most of the wineries in Fountaingrove are boutique, family-owned operations between 12-15 acres in size. Bordeaux and Rhone varieties thrive in the microclimate here. Some growers also have success with chardonnay, zinfandel, and sauvignon blanc.
There are just a few wineries in Fountaingrove. Nearly all of the grapes are purchased by winemakers outside of the AVA, like Laguna Canyon.
The Laguna Canyon Winery Chaparral Cuvée, Fountaingrove is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 43% / Merlot 29% / Malbec14% / Cabernet Franc 14%, with grapes sourced from Fountaingrove’s Plum Ridge Vineyard.
The wine exhibits a deep garnet color, which hints at the medium-bodied profile. Aromas of black cherry, spices in the form of cinnamon and cigar box, as well as mineral slate and pleasant dark chocolate jump from the glass. The palate is similarly built with additional notes of black cherry, tart raspberry, layers of cinnamon and cigar box, and that same mineral-driven wet gravel.
This wine is well-produced, and it’s a real treat to find such an interesting wine being crafted here in Southern California, albeit with fruit from the reaches of Northern California’s prime vineyard sites.
If you’re in Orange County and on the hunt for a wine-tasting room near Laguna Beach, the Laguna Canyon Tasting Room is just about a mile north of the sandy beaches.
The tasting room is slightly non-traditional in that the wine is dispensed almost like a beer tap. Wine on tap isn’t a new concept. Tons of restaurants offer good quality wine this way, it’s just not something you typically see in a winery’s tasting room. The idea is that guests can taste at their own speed and not feel pressured to consume their wine too quickly.
It’s a lively atmosphere, with zippy 80s rock n’ roll and pop music playing, and Huber encourages guests to make themselves feel at home while hanging out with their friends. If the reviews on Google and Yelp are accurate, then the concept is a hit with wine lovers. Laguna Canyon Winery has an almost perfect 5-star review.
Book your tasting room visit at Laguna Canyon and enjoy a glass of quality Orange County wine.
USA
Sonoma
15
J.J. Huber
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
1 Hour
Now to 2025
Laguna Canyon Winery
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