Sideways inspired everyone to hop aboard the trend bandw agon to the Santa Barbara wineries. But LA barkeepers have brought us back home with a bevy of chic wine bars and fun tastings. -Alexandra Le Tellier


1. A.O.C.
Grazing is an art form at this loud, celeb-packed wine bar. Much like the small-plates menu, the wine list is set up for tasting and sharing. Not technically on the menu but still savored by patrons: each other.

Those of us who can't afford the fuel for a private weekend jet-away to Spain can get the vibe at this traditional Spanish tavern, complete with a succinct wine list that includes a sparkling dry Cava.

2. Da 'Poetry Lounge
Have wine ADD? The list here changes every four to six weeks, appeasing girls who come to giggle over bubbly as well as cozy couples looking to change things up.


3. Air Conditioned Bar
Rare groove and glasses of syrah: It's not the most likely combination, but it works at this funky lounge that's named after its chill vibe.


4. The Otheroom
Is sipping wine still sophisticated when doing so on a velvet bench at the window, laughing at everyone waiting to get in?


5. Bodega Wine Bar
This Pasadena bar is cozy (cushy couches), chic (Philippe Starck furniture) and hip (indie rock and downtempo soundtrack) and we can't get enough of the mel ted Brie and apple pizza, especially when served with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc St. Claire.

6. Primitivo Wine Bistro
The shabby-chic look of the long, rustic bar makes the perfect backdrop for Westsiders draped in vintage white lace a la Mary-Kate Olsen and Kirsten Dunst. The sweet and strong sangria is potent.


7. The CrepeVine Bistro & Wine Bar 
More than 80 kinds of wine make us yelp "oui, oui!"-especially on Tuesdays from 3pm-11pm when two-ounce pours cost only $2-$5. We recommend trying the Adelaida Schoolhouse Recess Red.


8. La Maschera
Then there's La Maschera, which has 150 Italian and American labels in its liquor cabinet. Each night the owners put together wine flights consisting of three to four wines that fit a theme, like "Sangioveses from Different Regions" and "Chiantis from Different Years."
 

9. Vinoteca Farfalla
This Los Feliz gem brings hip families, French teachers and Goths together to sip rare vintage wines and sample stinky cheese plates. The only form of Americana that has seeped into Vinoteca is the wine pour: The bartender super-sizes.
 


Irregular Wine Tasting at the Echo
Each month, bespectacled indie-lectuals settle in on The Echo's patio for an evening of sophisticated wines paired with highbrow readings. But the vibe is quirky, and borderline punk rock.


1. Colorado Wine Company
Even those whose knowledge of wine is limited to Two-Buck Chuck and (wince) Boone's Farm can become connoisseurs in record speed at tastings hosted by this friendly, unpretentious wine bar and store.

The cabinet at the entrance of this wine bar and tapas joint in Boystown showcases a list of nearly 450 bottles deep, and more than 50 are available by the glass for eight to 25 bucks.


2. BottleRock
Rare is the wine bar with a friendly, youthful vibe and a soundtrack featuring Pearl Jam. Rarer still is the concept here: The bar is also a shop, and if a customer wants to buy a glass before taking home a bottle, no problem.


3. Eastside Luv Wine Bar y Queso
Uptown girls, Downtown hipsters, Chicano artists and city politicians all crowd this funky spot in Boyle Heights for wine, homemade sangria, cheese and live en tertainment like cabaret and Mariachioke.


4. Vinum Populi
Using Italian-imported Enomatic wine-dispensing machines, anyone can sip a variety of wines without committing to a whole glass or a bottle.



Bodega Wine Bar--Santa Monica
With its dim lighting and exposed brick walls, this Santa Monica incarnation may seem a little more laid-back than its older Pasadena sibling, but the focus on uncommon wines at low prices remains the same.


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DuVin
Wally's
Learn About Wine
Sideways
Real Wine: The Rediscovery of Natural Winemaking