cookiesinheaven

It's been featured as one of 25 hidden gems and delicious destinations in the latest issue. The writer notes that the movie "Sideways" put Santa Barbara County and its pinot noirs back on the map in 2004. But now, a new generation of young wine makers is fiddling with the idea of traditional tasting rooms. The article names Lompoc Wine Ghetto as one of those examples. It says despite the florescent-lit industrial complex behind Home Depot, visitors can see a passion that's every bit as beautiful as those "scenic Napa cliches." - KSBY

Remember the enormously successful and slapstick, funny movie, “Sideways” (which boosted sales of pinot noir and all but destroyed sales of merlot)? Well, anyway, a Japanese version of the film, featuring three of Japan’s most famous actors, has been shot in Calistoga. The plot involves a trip to California’s wine country by the principal actor to attend the wedding of a friend, just as in the plot of the original “Sideways.” .... The film is scheduled for release in Japan sometime in the fall of 2009. - St. Helena Star, Variety, DougWilder and Cinematical.