Newton Vineyard Estate in St. Helena, an insanely beautiful property, is unveiling, just in time for Earth Day, what it describes as an "eco-chic" tasting bar, designed by Claire Danthois using all reclaimed materials, including 300-year-old oak acquired from a wine merchant in England.

The 112 segments of oak are meant to symbolize Newton's 112 vineyard blocks. The bar also has glass shelves, a hanging rack for stemware and spaces to store Newton (are other) wines. An artistic piece named "Re-Inspired Elements," five of these tasting bars have actually been created, one of which will stay at Newton (so go see it there), the others to be sold at auction (for an guesstimated $20,000) benefiting non-profit Global Green.

Newton, up on Spring Mountain, was founded in 1977 with a focus on naturally fermented, unfiltered wines. Ric Forman, formerly of Robert Mondavi Winery, helped Newton cements its reputation early on.

Some wineries just like to have fun. Judd's Hill in Napa is most definitely one of them, its bow-tie wearing, ukulele-playing winemaking family hosting its third annual Music Bonanza this Saturday (April 18) from noon to 3 p.m.

The event this year is both a celebration of the winery's 20th anniversary and a chance to release the 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Blazing BBQ Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley.

Eat and drink as Grooveology plays, followed by a quartet from the Napa Valley Youth Symphony (the day's proceeds go to the NVYS). $55 with tix available at the door.

2332 Silverado Trail. 707-255-2332.

If you can't make the event, introduce yourself to the Finkelstein family behind Judd's Hill via Judd's Enormous Wine Show. Launched in February, the online video series is a fun take on wine.

Fizzy, fresh, soft, luscious, juicy, smooth, big, sweet. These are the words retailer Josh Wesson uses to categorize wine at his brilliant retail shop, Best Cellars, which exist in New York City, Boston, Washington DC and now Dallas - alas, there aren't any anywhere near here.

But Wesson, who spoke at the Taste3 conference at Copia on Saturday, is on to something. Simplifying. It helps that his shops feature no wine over $15, with the very concious idea that there's no risk in walking in.

Wesson said he wanted to create a "taste-based" retail store, approaching wine the way one would approach ice cream, in other words, "You don't have to know how ice cream is made" to know what you already like or taking a chance on something new. No prior knowledge is required.

Wesson is a pretty funny guy. He quipped that people drink wine for three reasons:

1) to make the food they're eating taste better

2) to make the people they're with seem funnier

3) to lever things from people

It took Wesson and colleagues six months to come up with the clever one-word descriptors, deconstructing terms used the most often by the likes of Parker, Spectator and other professional wine reviewers, and then asking everyday consumers which words resonated with them the most.

See what you think:

Fizzy - sparkling wines

Fresh - light-bodied whites

Soft - medium-bodied whites

Luscious - full-bodied whites

Juicy - light-bodied reds

Smooth - medium-bodied reds

Big - full-bodied reds

Sweet - dessert wines

I really like it and think it'd be amazing if we could all agree to simpler language when it comes to wine. Check out Best Cellars www.bestcellars.com website to take their quiz - Do You Know What You Like? www.bestcellars.com/playwus/quiz.asp