September is wine month in California. Coincidentally, it’s also harvest time. If there ever was a time to head out for a day of swirling, swishing, and spitting (or swallowing -- hey it’s up to you), this is it. Hence, we got three long weekend suggestions for you, rife with grapes, Riedel glasses, and Pinot Noir. Pick your poison: Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, or Napa Valley.

The machines are rising. A band of crazed winos, astute in the field of microelectronics, have created an artificial tongue whose sole purpose is to taste and evaluate wine. One might wonder what the point is of having an electro-palate evaluate your wine for you, but the tongue is meant to serve more industrious purposes. Wineries send their product to labs for examination, but the process is a slow one. The new device is meant to speed things up. Six chemical sensors measure acid, sugar, alcohol, as well as other wine characteristics. But why use tongue when you can have your very own robot/slave? And this trend isn't simply limited to wine. Electronic connoisseurs are looking to replace professional tasters entirely, one bud at a time.