If it has been decreed by governmental proclamation, it must be true, right? September is California Wine Month, didn’t you know? Most things, like pirates, popcorn, or left-handed people just get a single day to call their own. But wine has become so vital to California, that it deserves a whole month. So says the Governor of our great state.

So why is California Wine Month more than just another couple of words on some official calendar and the minutes of a legislative session? Because stuff actually happens during this month that is worth paying attention to.

For starters, apparently a lot of the state’s appellations have hopped in the pocket of some well dressed guy who looks good on camera for a good old-fashioned road trip:

Wasn’t that refreshing?

But lest you think this was just some nice camerawork and fancy editing purely for the fun of it, this “road trip” is culminating in a couple of wine tastings that you might want to check out. Tastings where your palate can go on a little road trip of its own around the state’s wine regions, simply by walking around the room. Now you’re starting to get the picture.

The first of these virtual road trips will take place on September 6th in Los Angeles — Beverly Hills, to be specific — and will be a swank affair at the Penninsula Hotel, with tasty nibbles and wines to try from all over the Golden State, not to mention free valet parking, which would normally cost you about the same as the ticket itself ($60) in Beverly Hills.

The second event takes place here in San Francisco on September 22nd. This event won’t be quite as swanky as the one in Los Angeles (and the ticket price is lower — $35), but promises to be just as much fun. Held on the upper floor of the Ferry Plaza Building, this event will also feature food and wine, and some of the proceeds will benefit charity.

Both of these events promise to showcase the breadth of California wine regions, which are incredibly diverse. The Beverly Hills Tasting will cover Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, Lake County, Lodi, Monterey, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Livermore, Temecula, and Santa Cruz Mountans, while the San Francisco tasting will cover those regions and will also include Santa Clara, El Dorado, and Madera (instead of Temecula).

So instead of putting a few thousand miles on your own car this summer, take a little road trip in your glass and attend a California Wine Month tasting instead. Those going to the San Francisco can get a special price for being Vinography readers (see below).

2012 California Wine Month Tasting – Los Angeles
Thursday, September 6
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Verandah
9882 Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Tickets are to the Los Angeles tasting cost $60, limited, and will certainly sell out in advance. Get yours online here.

2012 California Wine Month Tasting – San Francisco
Saturday, September 22
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Ferry Building Marketplace, Grand Hall
One Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA 94105

Tickets to the San Francisco tasting cost $35, but you can get $5 off by using the promo code “ALDER” when you check out. There are more tickets for the San Francisco event available than LA, but they may sell out as well, so get yours online here.

Full disclosure: these events are sponsored by The Wine Institute, who is a paid advertiser on Vinography.