In August, for many of us a lazy time of year, McClain Cellars winery founder Jason McClain will be crazy busy – as usual.

Among other things, he plans to open his signature wine-blending experiences to the public for the first time. He’ll also launch two new books and debut a TV recording studio at his Irvine winery and warehouse.

The motivational speaker, tech entrepreneur, author, pilot, guitar player and father of three has been tirelessly growing and expanding his business, pursuing a passion that began when he was 21 and sipped his first glass of wine that didn’t come from a box.

Since then, McClain has increasingly linked wine tasting with good times, friendships and family. In 2018, he turned it into a full-time job.

An Irvine advantage

For the first few years, McClain Cellars enjoyed heady growth. The membership club drew 500 people, and McClain and his wife and business partner, Sofia, opened wine-tasting lounges in Laguna Beach, Solvang and Buellton.

A decline in global wine sales in 2022 presented challenges. But McClain has thrived, in part by expanding beyond standard wine-tasting fare. His main innovation is corporate team-building events in which participants learn about wines, not only by tasting them but by mixing varietals to create their own blends.

The proximity to corporate customers here in Irvine has been really, really invaluable,” he says.

In 2023, McClain moved into a new Spectrum District building, offering roughly three times the space of his former location. The new site, on Technology Drive, includes a wine-tasting lounge with a table that fits 16 people and the soon-to-open TV recording studios, where McClain says he will livestream wine-blending events for faraway corporate offices.

New adventures

In recent years, McClain has further diversified by returning to writing and speaking. His two new books are: “Pivot to Profit: How to Get the Wealth You Deserve” and “Island of One,” the latter inspired by his having been born without fingers on his left hand.

“There’s a million things that I have to do that no one else really can do,” he says. “Like how do you tie your shoes? How do you ride a bike? How do you fly an airplane?” Such challenges taught him resilience, he says, and the art of making quick decisions.

That’s especially fortuitous these days, when McClain’s calendar is so crowded that he has to move fast. “We’ve got so many things going on these days that I can’t keep track of half of them,” he says.