and sticky grape juice, a time of heady promise for oenophiles and novice wine buffs alike. While winemakers and cellar rats wrestle with harvest (called "crush" to describe the pace, as well as the fate of the grapes), the rest of us can sample their handiwork from vintages past.

A wealth of tasting rooms

From its wine shop rows to its scattered treasures, the Santa Ynez Valley boasts a wealth of showcase wineries and hole-in-the-wall tasting rooms. Tasters can step back in time at Rideau Vineyard, where an ancient adobe serves as the tasting room, or sample wines in the French chateau that houses The Brander Vineyard/Domaine Santa Barbara. At Lafond Winery on Santa Rosa Road visitors can watch the crush through the large airy windows of the tasting room.

In Solvang, visit the airy Presidio Winery tasting room to savor the wares of the dashing Doug Braun, or stop in at Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, where savvy staffers pour a mind-boggling line-up of reds, whites, pinks, and bubbly. Taste the handmade wines at Morovino, the luscious offerings at the Royal Oaks Winery tasting room, and for a chance to sample from a mother lode of 75 different producers, visit Wine Country, a tasting room and wine boutique that stocks an inspiring inventory of wine-related goodies and gadgets.

At the Los Olivos Wine and Spirits Emporium, swirl and sip wines from dozens of producers who don't operate their own tasting rooms, and then check out Kahn Winery for a delightfully eccentric array of handcrafted beauties. After tasting the singular reds at Richard Longoria Wines, rest a moment on the shady patio cooled by the mist from an Old World fountain.

If you're still in a sampling mood, step into the Los Olivos Wine Merchant, located inside the elegant Los Olivos Café, a one-stop shop that features 300 local and international wines, offered at discount prices, and pours wine for tasting until 8 p.m.

Prepare yourself

Most tasting rooms offer a minimum of edibles, so before wine tasting, eat a meal and pack some snacks. Carry plenty of drinking water and imbibe freely to keep your system well hydrated. Avoid wearing heavy scents, and refrain from smoking or chewing gum, all of which can interfere with the assessment of a wine's complex qualities.

Tasting room etiquette

Since all tasting rooms have a dump bucket to receive unwanted wine, there's no need to finish, or even taste, everything that's offered. If you plan to spit, carry a paper cup for the purpose, so you won't have to hover over the communal bucket.

Getting around

If you can't round up a designated driver for your outing, consider hiring a limo for the day (especially affordable with a group of four or more), arrange to take a tour with one of the local companies that specializes in jaunts through wine country, or slip into some comfy shoes and hit the tasting rooms of Solvang or Los Olivos on foot. At the end of the day, crown your adventure with a sumptuous meal at one of the many fine eateries along the way.

During the heady harvest season, take advantage of the proximity of our neighborhood wineries and tasting rooms. Visit some old favorites, try a few newcomers, and you may even get to sample a glass of fresh, sticky grape juice before one of our local craftsmen turns it into wondrous wine.