Television star Elvira - aka Cassandra Peterson – is already the Mistress of the Dark, but Mistress of the Vine?

In conjunction with Sort This Out Cellars, a small producer of California wines, the horror movie maven will unveil her line of fine, handcrafted wines on December 3. The first release, a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon called Elvira’s Macabrenet, will retail for $25.

For the first time ever, a Pinot Noir from California has been named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. The Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009 was chosen from among the more than 16,000 wines reviewed by Wine Spectator in blind tastings in 2011, for its classic score, its reasonable price and the role the winery has played in the rapid rise of Pinot Noir among California wines.

Bob Cabral, Director of Winemaking for Williams Selyem, a California winery known for its distinctive Pinot Noir, has been named Winemaker of the Year for 2011 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The publication will honor Bob and other international wine industry luminaries at a black-tie gala in New York City on January 30, 2012.

Constellation Wines U.S. are introducing The Dreaming Tree brand, an affordable collection of wines developed by Award-winning Sonoma County winemaker Steve Reeder and musician Dave Matthews. Founded and harvested in California's wine country, the collection is named after the Dave Matthews Band track, "The Dreaming Tree," from the 1998 album, "Before These Crowded Streets."