Bubbly goes green. The environmentally-devout sipper will appreciate this eco newsflash: The organization that represents the Champagne houses and Champagne growers is officially launching a new standard bottle to cut the region’s carbon emissions.

Barrel tasting today? Get camera ready. Promoters of the Wine Road Barrel Tasting will be tooling around in a small plane, circling overhead between 2 and 3:30 p.m. today, to do an aerial photo shoot of the wineries and crowds.

After six years of uncorking wine for visitors, with Gina Gallo occasionally popping in, the winery has decided not to renew its lease to pour wines on the Healdsburg Plaza.

With another round of barrel tasting this weekend, I thought I’d check in with head poobah Beth Costa to see if there were any surprises at last weekend’s event — or any headaches — behind the scenes. But before we chat it up with Costa, check out the Wine Road’s video. While it’s clearly a promotional tool, it captures the event. http://bit.ly/aV0kwo

The Wine Road Barrel Tasting resumes this Friday, Saturday and Sunday so I thought I’d check in to see in with head poobah Beth Costa to see if there were any surprises at last weekend’s event — or any headaches. But before we chat it up with Costa, check out the Wine Road’s video. While it’s clearly a promotional tool, it captures the event. http://bit.ly/aV0kwo

Sonoma Valley wines are in the limelight and they have a savvy stage.

Here are my Top 10 Best of the Wine Road Barrel Tasting, some snapshots from yesterday’s trek through the Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander valleys. You may find yourself in the copy, so check it out.

Barrel tasting? What’s your route? The Wine Road Barrel Tasting this weekend is a Spring rite of passage that appeals to the procrastinator as well as the planner.

Van Williamson, the winemaker of Edmeades, has a feast in his freezer that would shock most of the civilized world. In he has a stash of food that comes from tireless hunting and gathering: pheasant, geese, ducks, abalone, sardines, albacore, halibut, salmon and venison.

If you’re driving along Hwy 12 in Kenwood today, keep your eyes open for roaming sheep — 69 of them to be precise — in the vines at Landmark Vineyards.