Few getaways can exhilarate your taste buds as vibrantly as wine country tours can. These romantic and enlightening trips provide an opportunity to enchant your sense of taste with an array of California wine, as well as exquisite restaurants featuring local, fresh ingredients to accompany every selection.

Wine country tours are a very fun and interesting way to further educate yourself about all your new and favorite selections of captivating wines. It does not matter if you prefer Pinot Noir, Grigio, or Shiraz, because the experienced tour guides will make it fascinating and educational.

Any wine guide worth his or her salt can explain the growing, fermenting and aging processes, as well as each ingredient in the wine. Perhaps most importantly, a wine guide will know exactly which foods and cuisines to pair with your wine for maximum enjoyment.

The very best wine country tours offer generous tasting opportunities for all kinds of wine — how else will you fall in love with a wine unless you can fully experience its flavor? Of course, for this reason, a comprehensive winery tour will include transportation from your hotel, as well as to and from each vineyard.

On your tour of the vineyards, make note of the wines you like best. Also, inquire about the possibility of joining a wine club. A wine club can be set up in various ways. Sometimes, the winery offers discounts for buying cases of your favorite vintage. Other times, the club’s membership guarantees that you have first rights to new offerings. Regardless of the type of the club, it is in your best interest to investigate the possibilities.

In addition to the educational and tasting opportunities, California wineries provide some of the most spectacular scenery. The rolling hills of grape arbors and fruit orchards make a picturesque and romantic setting for a picnic, so be sure to take advantage of the backdrop that comes with wine country tours. And don’t forget the thrilling wine caves of the region, which offer a cool respite during summer months. Whether you are in Sonoma County or the Napa Valley, there is a California wine, as well as a whole new world, waiting to be discovered by you.

Signing up for one of California’s wine country tours is a marvelous way to treat yourself to an educational and fun vacation. You will learn about new grapes while enjoying your old favorites like Merlot and Pinot Noir. Guides can help you discover the subtleties of taste and decide which California wine to purchase, as well as giving you information about a wine club to join. The scenery at these wineries is romantic, with great views and lots of picnic opportunities. Explore Napa Valley and Sonoma County to discover a whole new world.

- Summer Wilde