Allow me to join the chorus of hosannas: Matt Zoller Seitz is coming home, at least for a little while. The journalist-critic-filmmaker is returning to Dallas, where he used to enlighten us about movies for the Observer, to make a film involving puppets. After leaving Dallas, Matt spent years as a TV critic at the Newark Star-Ledger, and lately he’s been writing movie reviews for The New York Times. If you run into him, ask for a little of his Marlon Brando impersonation. Better yet, read some of his work.

Worth every penny: Wine tasting is one of the great underrated values in North Texas, so there’s no excuse for not toasting Matt’s return or whatever else you’re celebrating. Lot of wine bars and stores pour free or reasonably priced samples on a weekly or even daily basis. One of the best is Sigel’s. The chain regularly brings in high-quality juice to taste, as it did last night at one of its “Elite”-branded stores at Fitzhugh and Cole. Eight wines from the celebrated Northern California zinfandel producer Ridge were poured, and the vineyard’s winemaker, John Olney, was in attendance. My value pick is the 2006 Three Valleys, on sale for $20 at Sigel’s or cheaper online.

Find out about other tasting opportunities at the website Local Wine Events. My next stop will be The Wine Market and More on Oak Lawn Avenue, which holds a weekly tasting of four or five wines each Thursday to Sunday.

Take a look: The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas is receiving a major gift of conceptual and minimalist art from New York collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel, another reason to toast.