Bianchi Winery — Attraction in Laguna Beach

This is the third time I visited Bianchi and have previously had great experiences. However, the continued great experience came to a screeching stop when I went to pay our bill. When it was time to check out, out group ordered additional wine to go. Our party of six ordered some bottles of the Rose (the same bottle that we shared while we were at the winery) and we ordered a bottle of Duality (we’ve had it previously and knew we wanted to buy another bottle). Our server then informed us that there was a 20% mandatory gratuity because of our size of our party. In fact, he took my credit card, placed it in the POS terminal, clicked on 20% gratuity, and signed my name for me. Before I knew what happened, he gave me my card and left our table. This all came as a surprise to me. I definitely support tipping and even the mandatory gratuity when it is applied to what is consumed at the winery but definitely not on bottle purchases to go. I've done some research on different winery forums and the common practice is to tip on the service and wine consumed at the winery. There is no expectation to tip on the wine purchased that is taken home. Duality is a special treat for me and a $73 bottle of wine just turned into almost $90. Had I known about the mandatory gratuity policy in advance, I would not have purchased wine to take with me at that time and would have tipped based on the service we received, which I have absolutely no complaints about. It’s really just unfortunate because this is my third time coming to this winery and I've always had great experiences which is why I brought my friends and family there. I was considering joining one of the wine club membership. However, once I paid the bill which included the mandatory gratuity, everything changed. I will never return to Bianchi. I would highly recommend disclosing the policy to future customers prior to their visit and definitely prior to any purchases so they don’t have the same experience. I emailed the tasting room manager, Joe Kowalski, over a month ago about my experience but never...

We were excited to visit this wine tasting bar and checked their website beforehand to book a tasting slot. After creating a profile, the website malfunctioned and directed us to call instead. We called several times, but no one answered, only an automated message stating that they welcome walk-ins. Based on that, we made the trip specifically from Los Angeles.

When we arrived, we were immediately and rudely confronted by a woman who told us that dogs were not allowed. I calmly explained that my dog is a medical service animal and that I had all the required documentation. Instead of handling the situation professionally, she loudly — and in front of the entire restaurant — dismissed my explanation, claiming the dog "looked like a lap dog" and stating that this was her business and she "makes the rules."

I have traveled all around the world with my service dog and have never experienced such ignorance, hostility, or blatant discrimination. It was not just rude, it was deeply disrespectful and completely unacceptable.

We chose to leave immediately. I refuse to argue about my medical condition in public or subject myself to further disrespect.

If you care about basic human dignity, professionalism, and being treated with respect, stay far away from this place. There are many other wine bars that understand the importance of treating all guests with decency and inclusivity. This one...

Everything is great at Bianchi aside from the price of the wine itself. I love the ambience here but to pay $17 for a tiny glass of wine is absurd. Was really excited when it first opened but the pours have gotten smaller and the prices have only increased. I paid $17 tonight for what seemed like a tasting pour. This is the third time in a row it’s been like this. Hopefully this will change back to what it was...