MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, USA-- The scenery unfolds as quintessential California wine country: Grapevines flowing along rolling hills in continuous, symmetrical ribbons ... tendrils of late-afternoon fog slipping through a cut in the coastal mountains.

The Napa Valley? Sonoma County? Guess again. With more than 35,000 vineyard acres (larger than either), it's Monterey County, the state's hot "new" wine country.

This lesser known, and less crowded, region south of San Francisco encompasses seven appellations and more than 40 wineries and vineyards. But, fortunately for wine aficionados, most of the wineries and tasting rooms are clustered in three areas: the city of Monterey, Carmel Valley and the Salinas Valley. You can easily visit three or four in a day, and because most of them are small, you can often chat with the winemaker or owner.

Franciscan padres get the credit for planting the first vineyard here in the 1800s, at the Soledad Mission, but it wasn't until the 1960s that the first commercial grapes were planted. Their characteristic, intense varietal flavor made them a favorite of vintners from outside the region, who blended them with their own grapes or used them to make wine under their own labels.

Locally produced wines, however, didn't gain the same popularity. Until now. After three decades of research, experimentation and refinement, Monterey's wines are coming into their own. The region now produces premier Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons, plus trendy varietals such as Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, Zinfandels, Gamays, Nebbiolos and Sangioveses. It is also home to Ventana Vineyards, the most award-winning single vineyard in the United States.

Here is a sampling of Monterey County wineries and tasting rooms to visit. Some require a telephone call a day or two ahead. Most don't have a tasting fee, although if they do, you can apply it toward the purchase of their wine. Many have picnic sites, so you can enjoy the proverbial loaf of bread and thou.

Monterey

Carmel Valley

Bernardus, 5 West Carmel Valley Rd. 800/223-2533. Tasting room open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Galante Vineyards, 18181 Cachagua Rd. 800/GALANTE. Call ahead for appointment, schedule of concerts and events.

Salinas Valley

Chalone Vineyard, Stonewall Canyon Rd. (Hwy. 146), Soledad. 408/678-1717. Tasting available weekends 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (call ahead for weekday appointments).

Smith & Hook Winery/Hahn Estates, 37700 Foothill Rd., Soledad. 408/678-2132. Open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for tasting.

For a winery map, contact the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association (408/375-9400). If you can't visit until after the crush, join their Great Wine Escape Weekend (November 13, 14 and 15 this year, 1998) when there are bus tours, open houses at the wineries and fabulous dinners paired with equally fabulous wines.