L.A. WINELINE.

Byline: Larry Lipson

Kudos to Woodland Hills Wine & Spirits, 22622 Ventura Blvd., for being named one of the nation's best wine shops by Food & Wine magazine in its October issue.

``This shop offers probably the best Burgundy selection in the country,'' gushes the magazine, which has it sharing honors with four other wine shops as tops in the French wine category.

But that's not all.

``Proprietor Paul Smith also has amazing cult California cabs, like Araujo and Harlan,'' it is pointed out.

To find out more about the store, its selection and its services, call [phone].

NOT SO MUCH: Small is better, according to Adam Tolmach of Southern California's Ojai Vineyard, enjoying its 20th harvest.

``When I was at a wine tasting recently,'' notes Tolmach in his fall 2002 newsletter, ``someone asked me if I was planning on expanding the winery. I told him I was planning just the opposite.

``That got me a round of laughter, because that is not what entrepreneurs do.''

Tolmach, who makes vin gris, chardonnays, viognier ice wine, a Rhone- style blended white with a roussanne base, a Rhone-style red blend with a grenache base, syrahs and pinot noirs, admits he makes plenty of wine presently.

``As I age,'' he says, ``I plan not to retire, but to make less and less - until I get to the point of doing just a few barrels a year.

``If I don't keep this thing rewarding, what's the point?''

Call Ojai Vineyard at [phone].

AGUA DULCE TREAT: Reader Frank Neumeister of Sylmar informs that Agua Dulce Vineyards at 9640 Sierra Highway, Agua Dulce (near Vasquez Rocks), is only a 25-minute drive northeast of his residence.

He points out that there is a wine-tasting room and gift shop, also that Agua Dulce has 90 acres of freshly harvested grape vines.

Neumeister bought a '99 merlot that he terms ``excellent'' and a muscat canelli dessert wine.

Information [phone].

IN CLASS, GRAB YOUR GLASS: Martin Weiner's Los Angeles School of Wines will meet on six Tuesday evenings beginning Oct. 15 at Weiner's home in West Los Angeles. The topic is Premium Wines of the World. Appropriate appetizers are served with the wines. Price is $245.

Enrollment information: [phone] or [phone].

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH: Following a tasting of three under-$8 chardonnays, two from southeastern Australia, none passed our standards, and we decided that the Buena Vista sauvignon blanc 2000 ($6.49 at Cost Plus World Market) is a refreshing white wine when served relatively cold that really goes well with food. It exhibits a touch of the grassiness typical of this varietal, thankfully not overly so, has good finish and is truly a bargain at this price.