While the city of Santa Barbara, Calif., is gaining widespread recognition for its relatively new "urban wine trail"--as you'll read about tomorrow here on VinesseTODAY--Grapevine has been attracting visitors to its downtown winery tasting rooms and wine bars for years...

And this summer, ZD is providing two reasons to visit beyond just the wine-tasting experience.

No, not vodka or whiskey or tequila. Frankly, once I "got into" wine more than two decades ago, I haven't consumed much of the "hard stuff." With so many different types of wine to enjoy, why would I?

I'm talking about the alcohol level in wine. Like so many things in life, it is something that is cyclical. (Just try saying "cyclical" after consuming a vodka martini, and you'll understand why I stick to wine...)

I've always known just enough about cheese to be dangerous, and have depended on others--true experts on the subject--when putting together cheese-focused features for The Grapevine, the official newsletter of the wine clubs of Vinesse.

In Oregon, zoning is a big deal.  Environmentalists have been fighting urban sprawl in the Portland area for years, and each of the state's counties has its own restrictions on how land can be used.

As an example, on land zoned specifically for farm use, wineries historically have been banned from operating full-service restaurants.

Summer is the season of wine festivals, concert series at wineries, and a plethora of other wine-related special events. Virtually every day of the week, in "wine country" areas across the land, there's something going on that includes wine in the bargain.

For instance, where will you be on Saturday, June 25?

For Lee, the job was a case of going back to his roots. He had started out as a "small winemaker," but his skills in the cellar seemed to dictate growth.

That was the story of his tenure at Kenwood Vineyards...

Examples: movies, plays, books, TV programs and restaurants. And, of course, there's plenty of "wine reviewing" going on.

It's pretty difficult to get a wine review "wrong" because virtually every palate is different, and wine is perceived differently by different people. Ultimately, a wine review typically is just one person's opinion.

Here's hoping "regaled" is correct, because we're about to finish our Jazz on the Vine report right here, right now.

First, in answer to several queries from folks who just couldn't wait (they apparently were regaled as opposed to bored), yes, we did have an opportunity to sample "The El" from the Off the Rail Cafe.

It's about a quarter to 8, and over the past 15 minutes, exactly three cars have driven by. "Sleepy" doesn"t even begin to describe Elkhart Lake before "the season" begins over the Memorial Day weekend.

The reason I'm sitting outside, in 37-degree weather, fingers beginning to numb, is that the Off the Rail Cafe isn't open yet. Imagine that: a coffee house that doesn't open until 8 a.m.--when two-thirds of the morning hours are already gone. Sleepy, indeed.