Web site description:

Travel for Wine-Tasting is a Web site designed specifically for the wine aficionado who enjoys traveling to various wine-growing regions to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and the magnificent wines indigenous to each appellation. Whether you are planning a trip to a local wine region for the day, a California or Pacific Northwest area for an extended weekend, or an international wine-tasting vacation to France, Spain or Italy, stop in at Travel for Wine-Tasting before you make your plans. We will give you helpful travel tips, ideas for touring various wine regions, upcoming wine-tasting events, exciting places to stay and dine while on your wine-tasting adventure, and much more.

Questions to ask when planning your wine-tasting tour or travel adventure:

• How much do you want to spend per person?
• What type of occasion is this for you?  Social or business?  Vacation, birthday party, anniversary, wedding/honeymoon, corporate outing?
• How many people will be in the tour?  The cost will vary based upon the exact number of people as certain expenses are per-person, including the tours and tastings at the wineries, lunch, etc.
• When do you want to take your tour?  Some costs vary by day of the week and month.
• What type of vehicle do you want to travel in?  Sedan, limo, stretch limo, super-stretch limo, SUV limo, van, mini-bus, bus, luxury motorcoach, or train.  Do you want all of your traveling companions to ride in one vehicle, or is more than one vehicle acceptable?
• Do you want a new limo or an old limo?  Newer models are typically in excellent condition, but older models are often available at a lower cost. 
• Do you have any special needs as to the driver?  Do you want a driver or a guide?  Does the driver need to be fluent in a language other than English? 
• Where do you want to be picked up and dropped off?
• What wine destinations do you have in mind? Do some research as to the various wine-making regions nationally and internationally. Often, the smaller regions have the best wines and the most beautiful, non-crowded tasting rooms.
• How many hours?  You will want to spend more time in larger regions that have a higher concentration of tasting rooms.
• Would you like an emphasis on premiere wineries and the VIP experience, or is budget a more important issue?  Are you more interested in educational tastings and tours or atmosphere?  Are architecture, history, and sightseeing important to you?
• Have you enjoyed wine tours and wine tastings before, or is this your first time?  Are you a wine novice, or are you a wine enthusiast, connoisseur, or wine collector?  What types of wines do you prefer?
• Do you want to travel and tour with others, or do you want your tour to be private just for you and your traveling companions?
• How many wineries would you like to visit?  Typically, there is a tour/tasting fee with each winery visited, so more wineries means a higher price.
• Do you want to pick specific wineries and have our concierge service make appointments at each; do you want to pick wineries as you go on the day of your tour; or do you want to take a standard pre-set tour?  Or would you like to make your own winery reservations?
• What types of wineries do you want to visit?  Are you interested in seeing both larger estate wineries and smaller boutique wineries?
• Do you want the cost of the wine tastings and tours included in your tour package, or would you prefer to pay as you go?  Do you want a regular tasting or premium tasting?
• Do you want lunch to be included?  If so, do you want a box lunch for a picnic, or would you like reservations for lunch at one of the wineries or at one of the top restaurants in the area?  Or would you rather have a "wine pairing," where the chef at one of the wineries pairs food and wine for your eating and drinking pleasure?
• Do you want an onboard Wine Educator and Guide?
• Do you want any extras? Champagne in the limo? Flowers? Chocolates? Hot Air Balloon Rides? 
• Do you want your quote to include all costs?  Some companies add on gratuities, taxes, wine tasting and tour charges, fuel surcharge, and service fees. 
• Can you choose the wineries you want to visit, or is there a set itinerary?
• How much should you tip your driver?
• Do you want a private (i.e., romantic) tour with your significant other, or do you mind being on a group trip with others?
• If you purchase wine to take home, do you have a method of transporting it during your travels?
• Plan your visits: Visit wineries clustered together, and visit no more than three to five a day: two in the morning, one that has a restaurant attached for lunch, and one or two in the afternoon. That leaves you time to taste and talk. Go to both small and large places to get a sense of the range of wines produced.
• Designate a driver: If you refuse to spit, you need to pick a designated driver who won't imbibe.
• Take a cooler: Pack a picnic lunch in a cooler, and then you'll have a place to store the wines that you buy so they don't cook in the trunk. Many wineries will ship to your home, so think twice before lugging those bottles around: a case of 12 weighs 37 pounds. If you do buy a bottle, get one that's only available at the winery, and ask the vintner to sign it.
• Drive a comfy car: A car with reclining seats and clouded glass is ideal for those between-winery naps in parking lots. Even better, rent a stretch limo.
• Avoid strong smells: Perfume, cologne and aftershave all interfere with the wine aromas, so skip them when you're going to taste.
• Wear dark clothing: Even if you're an expert spitter, the person next to you might not be. Avoid wearing T-shirts that read "Gonna drink myself stupid!"
• Call ahead: If your favorite winery isn't open to the public, call to ask if you can drop by anyway. Many will welcome fans by appointment.
• Go early: Tasting rooms are much less crowded in the mornings before lunch, and less packed on weekdays than weekends. And, even though cabernet at 10 am may not sound appealing, your palate is at its best in the morning.
• Avoid tour buses: If you see a bus in the winery parking lot, come back later.
• Spit: Spitting is an acceptable part of tasting room etiquette. The French call it recracher. The technique is simple: When you've finished tasting your wine, suck in your cheeks, purse your lips into a slightly open O, lean forward, and expel a steady stream into the bucket.
• Taste and savor: Tasting several wines is not only fun, it's instructive: You can compare different styles when you try them side-by-side. (Of course, you can do this at home, but it's expensive to open four or more bottles at once.) Begin with light, dry white wines; progress to full-bodied reds; and finally, try sweet wines.
• Experiment: Try wines you've never tasted before, widen your range, surprise yourself. Ask the tasting room staff which wine the vintner is best known for.
• Take a notebook: Keep notes on the wines you've tasted.
• Ask questions: Unless they're swamped with visitors, most tasting room personnel love to chat about their wines and the region. Start by asking how their wine differs from that of nearby wineries, and which dishes it would go well with.
• Eat: Be sure to have breakfast before you go, and take a snack for the roadýfood helps to absorb the alcohol. Eating bland crackers between sips will also keep your palate from getting overloaded. Avoid eating garlic and spicy food at lunch; wait until the tasting over.
• Drink water: One effect of even just tasting alcohol is that you get dehydrated. Pack several bottles of water, and take a swig often.
• Take the kids: Most wineries are set in beautiful country locations where children can play outdoors. And even if the kids aren't drinking for a few more years, they can still be fascinated by these grape farms, and the process of making wine. Just keep them away from any breakables in the tasting room, and from the farm equipment outside. Some family-friendly wineries offer children non-alcoholic grape juice to "taste," while Mom and Dad enjoy the real thing.
• Ask to be added to the mailing list: Some wineries produce such small quantities of wine that you need to be part of their loyal customer base to buy any. A visit to the winery is a great time to express your interest.