Sideways Movie Necessitates DUI Grant

The popularity of Santa Ynez Valley vineyards and wineries exploded following the 2004 release of “Sideways”. [ed. especially Santa Rita Hills, aka SRH] The California Highway Patrol blames an increase in wine country drunken driving arrests and crashes on the “Sideways Effect”. [ed. Kermit Lynch covers the same story in his current newsletter]
Apparently, the hit movie started a stampede to the wine region’s 90 tasting rooms which, in turn, may be associated with a simultaneous and dramatic rise in drunken driving incidents. That’s why the Santa Barbara California Highway Patrol sought and received a $658,000 grant to crack down on drinking and driving in the wine country.

CHP Officer Donald Clotworthy says the popularity of “Sideways” led to a burst of wine-related activities. He says “Santa Barbara County has become wine country for Southern California”. [Source]
I wonder if the “Sideways” effect has resulted in local wine bar pourers resembling Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen among whose best features are being incredibly well-versed in wine and wine related topics?
Here is my favorite wine bar server (the lovely Erin) from the notorious wine shop and tasting bar just outside of Los Olivos owned by Bob Sean which closed in 2006. [ed. November 2004 photo.]
The Los Olivos Wine Shop, located at 2905 Grand Ave, was the first tasting room to offer wines from small wineries that do not have their own tasting room. The shop carries more than 45 different labels and specializes in pinot noirs which they are able to pick selectively and preferentially. Worth a stop if you are in town.
Sideways was released January 2005. [ed. Photos of Babcock and Foley vineyards.]
-Dr. D.