Laguna Canyon Winery — Attraction in Laguna Beach

We should have read the reviews before actually visiting this place. This is mostly a one man show and the owner was quite self absorbed and very much money focused. I understand that he is passionate but I was there to learn about the different wines and we got 5 minutes at best and the owner spoke for more than half of that time about his new dispensing machines and his awards. He mentioned he would come back shortly and show us a video, which didn’t happen; so we were left to figure out his different wines and what to drink next with not much context. When we walked in, the owner asked us straight for our credit card and charged us for two wine tastings (for my husband and I) without explaining how the wine tasting works and for how many or which types of wine. We then learned that the way this works here, is he gives you a card that’s preloaded with $35, which you then take up to his wine dispensing machines where you then select one of the wines, enter the card and then it dispenses an ounce. Each ounce was about $4-$8. My husband and I used only one of the cards and we did not use the other $35 card. The wines were just average and there was not any of the wines I tasted and thought I must have. Further, you have one glass each that you just keep reusing for the wine tasting which then causes the wines to mix as you are tasting. The place itself is small and nicely decorated with high top tables but I wish it had chairs and was warmer…we ended up standing for the whole tasting and were freezing by the time we left. We also were asked if we wanted a charcuterie box, which was overpriced at $15 and included the smallest piece of Brie, 5 grapes, and 3 pieces of pepperoni and some nuts. At the end of our tasting, we went back to the owner to let him know that we didn’t use the other card and were hoping for a refund at which point he told us it was too late and had we told him we only wanted one in the beginning, he would have just given us one (a process he never cared to describe when we walked in). He told us he would do is a ‘favor’ and we could instead get a bottle of wine for that amount. I did not want a bottle of wine and had to pick one anyway which was priced at $32 so that I could get close to the card value. Overall not an experience I would...

I recently visited Laguna Canyon Winery with my partner to celebrate my birthday but unfortunately, our visit was overshadowed by an uncomfortable situation that left a sour taste in my mouth.

From the moment we stepped onto the property, I felt an off-putting vibe. We were met with dismissiveness and an unwelcoming atmosphere. The employee there did not greet us when we walked in but instead said "I'm guessing you're my 2 o'clock reservation." The reservation was under my boyfriends name and the employee needed help pronouncing it which is fine but then said "your parents spelled that weird, why would they do that." He instructed us to sit wherever we'd like and we chose to sit along the wall. He briefly demonstrated how the wine tasting worked and how to dispense them. During our visit, there were 2 people sitting at the bar, a group of girls at a table, and another couple with their child. The employee focused most of his conversation with the 2 people at the bar but occasionally asked how the 2 other tables were doing. His customer service was phenomenal for the rest of the guests but us. He even refilled all the glasses for the table of ladies. But unfortunately, he did not check in on us once. We hurried to get through our wine tasting because I did not want the underlying tones of racial profiling to spoil my birthday celebration. Of course, we were not given a farewell.

This type of behavior is unacceptable in any hospitality setting, especially one that prides itself on creating a friendly environment for all wine lovers.I believe every winery should serve as a place of inclusivity and warmth, where everyone feels valued and respected. Unfortunately, my experience at Laguna Canyon Winery was the opposite. I left feeling hurt and disillusioned and certainly won’t be returning or recommending this place to friends and family.

Wineries thrive on creating memorable experiences, but they also need to ensure that all guests are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background. I sincerely hope that the management reflects on this situation and takes the necessary steps to address and improve their...

Came here past Friday night with a group of food and wine enthusiasts (EatNDrinkGeeks), for their 1st Friday of the Month Wine Tasting party from 6-9pm every month. Well, maybe not every month, but check the events calendar from their website.

It was surprisingly packed. Outside parking was difficult to find as they share a lot with what looks like a car repair shop. Once inside, you can get 10 tastings of 1 ounce pours and appetizers and hot food with no place to put your food. But you know what? I loved it here because the people here were super nice and Marlowe is super passionate about his award winning wines. They've won numerous awards from the OC Fair.

They were serving whites on left side and reds on the side closer to the street. I am more particular to the Reds here because I love my Cabs. So I was able to taste their '12 Cab, the 4 blend, 5 blend, 7 blend, the syrah, and the cab syrah. Taste wise, I personally like big, bold fruity flavors with some oak but not too overpowering. So without going into too much detail and sounding like a wine snob, I liked the 7 blend and the 4 blend the best here. It's like tasting an Anejo and a Reposado if this was tequila as the 7 was a bit smoother and the 4 was a bit younger but you can taste all the profiles.

The people behind the counter were super nice and hilarious. I got to meet Leann and Denise as they were pouring the white wines. Their Russian River Canyon Cuvee is quite nice, slightly dry, not sweet, and great on the nose with punch of fruit. Super easy to drink, probably best now.

They do all the blending in house I believe. There was a sign right above the entrance way stating they bring grapes from all over the place into here. The barrels inside the tasting room are real with wine fermenting away. They do have a small water dispenser, which is my only gripe here. Definitely not big enough!

If you buy a wine during the event, you get to keep the etched glass. Background wise, there was live music from Saeed Marandi. It was a fun time with fellow friends over wine. This place is definitely worth checking out when you're in the area like for SawDust...