South of Napa

There used to be only one wine tasting room in Laguna Beach – J.J. Huber’s brilliant Laguna Canyon Winery – but now there are two more, McClain Cellars and Bianchi.

Huber’s winery remains the standard since it’s actually a winery (he makes his own wine onsite). For more on Huber, check out his story. But if you’re looking for new flavors, McClain and Bianchi give you some options.

Both are good, in their own way.

While we don’t claim to be sommeliers at Under Laguna, we have enjoyed enough wine to make a couple observations. If we were to rank them, we’d go: Laguna Canyon Winery, McClain then Bianchi.

Huber just knows what he’s doing and gets extra points for creating his tasty potions right in Laguna.

McClain is the saucy, bohemian upstart. Headquartered in Irvine, Jason McClain and wife Sofia opened their first Laguna location in February 2019 in the canyon, 849 Laguna Canyon Rd. Another opened downtown in March of this year at 381 Forest Ave.

Both sites feature interesting, splashy art by Prague artist Lana Frey, by the way. But, of course, the wines are the main attraction, and they do not disappoint. It’s their diversity that probably separates them most from Bianchi.

There’s an eclectic boldness about McClain’s wines, which are made by winemaker Dean Guzman, formerly of Fess Parker. While Bianchi boasts a consistent polish, McClain’s lineup is more unpredictable.

We tried the “Ocean Wine Flight” for $30. It included both white and red:

• 2019 “Opportunity Reserve,” a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis and Vermentino
• 2019 “Savanna Grace,” a Sauvignon Blanc
• 2019 “Camping in the Clouds Reserve,” a blend of Roussanne, Viognier and Arneis
• 2019 “Purpose Road,” a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese
• 2019 “Soulmate,” a blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, Barbera and Petite Sirah
• 2019 “Once in a Lifetime Reserve,” a blend of Merlot, Malbec, Graciano, Petite Sirah and Barbera

Although we never had an OMG moment, we did like Savanna Grace, $38 a bottle, and Purpose Road, $61.

Meanwhile, Bianchi has a more spartan feel to its tasting room, 496 N. Coast Hwy. The wines are similarly sleek and professional, matching its Paso Robles winery vibe.

We liked the 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon very much, but at $70 a bottle there’s stiff competition at that price point. The whites were just OK, in our opinion – certainly not bad but not memorable, including a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc for $25.

Both new tasting rooms have pleasant, knowledgeable wine hosts that are attentive but not pushy, making you feel comfortable and welcome.

So whether it’s the canyon, downtown or North Laguna, you now have several choices for solid wine.