California Wine Festival, Santa Barbara

The golden tastes of the Golden State come uncorked as Santa Barbara plays host to the 13th annual California Wine Festival. This sun-drenched celebration of grape fermentation draws thousands of aficionados to the scenic beachside paradise each year. Here's what to expect from this day of piquant tastes and endless entertainment.

• The Wines: Almost 300 varieties from the state's top vintners are available for sampling, sniffing, and siphoning. You get a long-stem wine glass and unlimited samples. This could be the best day of your life.
• The Food: Local top chefs and food purveyors offer noshes to pair with your wine(s), along with free gourmet cheeses, breads, fruits, and olive oils
• The Prestige: The annual event landed on Trip Advisor's list of Top Food & Wine Festivals in 2014
• The Music: SoCal's Upstream provides a sunny soundtrack of reggae, calypso, soca, and steelpan melodies
• The Beer: While it is a wine festival, there are also craft beers from top regional microbreweries if you're feeling contrarian