Here’s the skinny. Those on the waiting list who are hoping to snag a Passport to Dry Creek Valley April 24 and 25, are scoring some tickets. If you hope to be among them, put yourself on the waiting list by visiting www.wdcv.com or calling 707-433-3031. Then keep your cell close at hand for some news.

We live in Wine Country so eliminating wine from the budget as though it were an unnecessary line item is unthinkable. Intolerable. Unbearable.

Why am I not surprised that Mike Benziger of Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen won a Growing Green Award in a new category, one of water steward no less?

Every once in a while I taste a wine that is so striking I have to tell everyone I come in contact with about it. That's the case with the Williams Selyem, 2007 Windsor Oaks Vineyard, Late Harvest Russian River Valley Muscat.

Can wine tasters behave? That’s the underline question when politicians try to regulate Wine Country. The latest sqaubble is over a push by the Sonoma County planning commission to curb tasting room hours to 4 p.m., affecting some with extended hours as late as 6:30 p.m. Clearly over-zealous tasters and rush hour traffic do not pair well.

Got wine? Whether you’re planning fresh salmon or the traditional rack of lamb, a glass of pinot is a great companion. Uncorking a pinot is akin to putting out your best china, only the finest will do.

A great weekend sipper. I tasted the fogdog, 2007 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay blind and it was striking. Once unbagged, it made sense.

A secret garden. A friend took me to a place that captures Wine Country in the spring when the mustard is in full bloom. Frog’s Leap Winery in Rutherford showcases the flower well, whether it’s isolated in patches or woven into the vineyard.

Well, I don’t believe in name calling … but Peterson, the co-founder and winemaker of Sonoma’s Ravenswood Winery has clearly gone mad. Loco. Insane. Peterson has gone postal.

Jeff Morgan is a professional wine writer and a winemaker who makes a serious kosher wine named Covenant. With Passover in the offing – March 30 -- Morgan said the big fun in making kosher wine is: “Watching Jews who have never drunk much but schlock taste our wines. Seems to be somewhat of a revelation.”