Wineries cited for serving minors

Clerks at Roblar Winery and at Foxen Winery and Vineyard were cited after they reportedly sold alcohol to underage customers during a decoy operation Saturday.

The operation was run by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department with assistance from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Fourteen wineries in the Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los Olivos and Sisquoc areas were visited Saturday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.

Of the 14 wineries checked, Foxen received two citations and Roblar received one, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Alex Tipolt. Foxen is in the Santa Maria Valley and Roblar is in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The three offending clerks will face a minimum fine of $1,000 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service, according to the sheriff's department. In addition, Alcoholic Beverage Control is expected to take administrative action against the alcoholic beverage licensees. These penalties could include a $3,000 to $10,000 fine, a 15- to 30-day suspension of the alcohol license, or the permanent revocation of the alcohol license.

The decoys were participants under the age of 21 who worked with sheriff's deputies and ABC agents in the undertaking, which is funded by a grant from the ABC Grant Assistance Program.

Tipolt said the decoys are often law enforcement cadets and explorers, as well as participants in school programs.

The sheriff's department wants to make sure alcohol servers are behaving within ABC's guidelines, he said, “for the safety of the community at hand.”

Winery staff members have the option of attending a class provided by the Sheriff's Department that details alcohol laws pertaining to tasting rooms and related matters.

Tipolt said the sheriff's department has already taught the class to more than 300 employees of more than 50 wineries in the county.

February 21, 2008