Coast Magazine
Laguna Canyon Winery owner Marlowe Huber brings us a message from the North: Wine does not need to be made in the wine country. His fellow Canucks know this well. In Vancouver, his former home, the urban winery concept is common: Source your grapes, and bring the winery to the people instead of expecting the people to come to you. When Huber moved to California, Laguna Beach seemed like the kind of town to buy into the concept. Wine and art, he says, go well together. Two years ago, he bought a 3,000-square-foot building across from the Wyland Gallery on Laguna Canyon Road, gutted it, and designed the space himself. Here, he does every part of the process except grow the grapes, which he buys from all over California, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, even Italy. Among his first bottlings were the 2001 Reserve Ice Wine, a sweet wine made from grapes that were affected by a fungus that left a concentrated sugar in the fruit; a 2003 Nebbiolo/Merlot from Californian and Italian grapes; a 2004 Sangiovese from Paso Robles grapes and more.
Even if Huber is yet to win any awards for his wine, the neighborhood is giving their stamp of approval. In the airy space soaked in the smell of old oak and new wine, his marble tasting bar is usually lined with locals, ready to receive his wares. And Huber sees nowhere to go but up. Though he and his brother (a partner in the business) have been making wine for 12 years, their newly hired wine master, Gianni Seminar, who is Italian born and one of only 32 professional wine judges in all of British Columbia, has some positive contributions to make. Seminar believes his French style Pinot Noir will blow the noses of Orange County wine drinkers away, at least those who are used to what he believes is the heavier Pinot Noir of California. Also look for their new Washington State Chardonnays, a Mendocino Riesling and a Paso Robles Cab Sauv. He's co-oping with neighbor Wyland next year, making a red and white wine with the artist's work on the label. Now that's the enterprising spirit the OC recognizes.
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