If you live in California wine country, or are considering vacationing there, you might want to consider taking one of these workshops on how to make your own wine. I think this could also be a unique way to celebrate someone's birthday - get a bunch of friends together and make a special blend!

From the LA Times:

All are by appointment only. Reservations required.

The Blending Cellar, Mayo Family Winery Barrel Room, 13101 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen; (707) 849-4041, www.blendingcellar.com. Tasting and blending workshops offered daily. Wines are blended to order and shipped. $40 per bottle, six-bottle minimum per person.

COPIA, 500 1st St., Napa; (888) 512-6742, www.copia.org. Tasting and blending workshops on most Saturdays and Sundays; $60 nonmembers, $50 members.

Crushpad, 2573 3rd St., San Francisco; (415) 864-4232, www.crushpadwine.com. Custom crush program. Offers full barrels of most California varietals from numerous vineyards. Barrels $5,000 to $9,600 or more.

Forth Vineyards & Winery, 2335 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg; (707) 473-0553, www.forthvineyards.com. Tasting and blending workshops, including lunch or dinner at the winery; proceeds donated to charity. Held multiple times a year; starting at $125.

Judd's Hill MicroCrush, Judd's Hill Winery, 2332 Silverado Trail, Napa; (866) 438-5833, www.napamicrocrush.com. Blending day camps, up to six people per barrel; $6,500.

Kings Hill Cellars, 3404 Kings Hill Road, Santa Rosa; (707) 538-0404, www.kingshillcellars.com. Custom winemaking and blending programs. Half or full barrels of several varietals. Membership $2,700 to $5,500.

Ravenswood Winery, 18701 Gehricke Road, Sonoma; (707) 933-2332, www.ravenswoodwine.com. Tasting and blending workshops; $50 per person, six-person minimum.

Sonoma Grapemasters, Owl Ridge Winery, 2064 Gravenstein Highway North, No. 120, Sebastopol; (415) 389-1183, www.sonomagrapemasters.com. Custom blending programs. Full barrels of several varietals, specializing in Pinot Noir. Barrels $7,500 to $9,000, split barrels also available.

Sonoma County Grape Camp, various Sonoma county wineries; (707) 522-5860, www.sonomagrapecamp.com. Annual three-day winemaking session sponsored by the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. Sept. 24 to 26; $1,500 per person per couple ($1,700 for singles), includes two nights' lodging, meals and seminars.