Table of Contents: Girlfriend Getaways 2007

Make a Reservation Some wineries require advance bookings for groups of eight or more--they may even set you up in a separate area to keep the bar clear for other customers. Know the Routine Tasting rituals aren't silly rules to make you look like a snob: They serve a practical purpose for appreciating wine. Once you've got a glass in front of you, start by looking at the wine's clarity (it shouldn't be at all murky) and color. White wine generally gets darker with age, while red wines grow paler. Next, stick your nose into the glass and inhale deeply. Try to pick out the aromas: Citrus? Chocolate? Leather? Next, swirl the wine around in the glass a few times and smell it again. Exposure to the air changes the bouquet. Then take a sip, rolling the wine over your tongue for a few seconds before you swallow. Control Your Intake A tasting room is one of the few places women can get away with spitting in public. If you plan on a full day of tasting, you should be spitting from time to time: While wineries encourage you to relax and have a good time, getting sloshed is a no-no. Let the Pourers Set the Pace Listen first to what they have to say: You don't want to knock back your glass before they've even finished describing the wine you're tasting. And never tell them how much to put in your glass. Don't Be a Pain Banging down your glass or waving it to get the pourer's attention won't win you any friends. Once you've finished your tasting, don't hover around the bar and block others from coming up. Show Your Appreciation Unlike at a restaurant or bar, there's no hard policy for tipping in a tasting room. Gratuities are by no means expected at wineries, and you won't look like a cheapskate if you don't do it. If you're with a party that's spent a lot of time at the table or have had an outstanding experience with the pourer, $5 to $10 is a nice gesture.

Long Island, N.Y. Vintage Tours sells five-hour excursions in 15-seater vans. The trip includes stops at four vineyards, as well as lunch; tasting fees extra. 631/765-4689, northfork.com/tours, from $65 Hermann, Mo. DSK Executive Car Service has vans that hold six people and limousines for as many as 10. The driver will accompany you to the tasting room and then introduce you to the owners of the winery. 573/259-4500, dskexecutivecar.com, $60 per hour for a van, $80 for a limo, three-hour minimum Willamette Valley, Ore. Grape Escape Winery Tours sells outings for groups of all sizes. The five-hour Afternoon Escape, to describe just one, includes stops at two or three wineries and appetizers along the way. 503/283-3380, grapeescapetours.com, $500 for four participants Santa Barbara, Calif. The deluxe package from Wine Edventures (that's not a typo; the company emphasizes wine education) includes stops at four wineries, a picnic lunch, and a ride in a grape-colored minibus (805/965-9463, welovewines.com, $95, six hours). Another option is Cloud Climbers Jeep Tours, which also stops at four vineyards and serves a picnic lunch, but drivers take the back roads in yellow safari-style trucks. (805/965-6654, ccjeeps.com, $104, six hours). Napa, Calif. On one of Napa Winery Shuttle's minibuses, you can visit as many as seven wineries in a single day. To make the trip even easier, the company will even handle wine transportation for you. Just fill out a delivery card, and the company will drop off bottles you buy at your hotel that evening. 707/257-1950, wineshuttle.com, $52, six hours These are only tours for the regions that we cover in this article--other wine regions tend to have them, too. Ask at your hotel or the local tourism office.

Extreme temperatures are wine's worst enemy, so it's not a good idea to store bottles you buy in the car while you visit other vineyards. If you're near your hotel, drop them off before making another stop. Otherwise, ask the winery to hold the bottles until you can swing by at the end of the day to pick them up. If you must leave wine in the car, park in the shade and roll the windows down a crack, and keep the bottles out of direct sunlight by wrapping them in a jacket or blanket on the backseat or in a foot well. Never put them in the trunk. If you're traveling by plane, your best bet is to have cases shipped home from the winery, what with all the new restrictions about carrying on liquids. Regulations vary by state, so call ahead to make sure wineries are allowed to ship to where you live. If they can't--or if you really want to bring the wine back yourself--ask the winery for a box and packing materials, and check the case with your luggage.

1. Prince Fernando Borghese, 28, director of business development for an ad agency in Philadelphia; son of Prince Marco Borghese, owner of Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery, Cutchogue, N.Y. You might spot him: On frequent visits to the winery, he helps in the cellars and the bottling room. Most romantic gesture: Whisked a girlfriend off to Manhattan and surprised her with a candlelit dinner at the Rainbow Room. 2. Prince Giovanni Borghese, 21, a junior at Suffolk University in Boston; younger brother of Prince Fernando Borghese. You might spot him: On semester breaks from school, in the tasting room or pruning the vines. Ideal date: Anything active, like hiking, ice-skating, or rock climbing. 3. Steve Doerner, 51, winemaker, Cristom Vineyards, Salem, Ore. You might spot him: Topping barrels in the winery. Most romantic gesture: Surprised a girlfriend in California by flying in from Oregon and taking her to dinner on her birthday. 4. Christopher Lorch, 37, winemaker, Sugar Creek Winery & Vineyard, Defiance, Mo. You might spot him: Managing his family's winery and vineyards. Most romantic gesture: A bouquet of flowers for no reason. 5. Michael Cobb, 36, operations manager, Sunstone Winery, Santa Ynez, Calif. You might spot him: In the tasting room or picking grapes on his days off. Most romantic gesture: Surprised a girl with a gondola ride along the Naples Island canals in Long Beach, Calif. 6. Marcelo Freitas, 42, visitors center host, Quintessa, Rutherford, Ca. You might spot him: Giving tours of the winery and vineyards. Ideal date: A ride on his BMW 1150GS motorcycle, toward Santa Cruz or Big Sur, stopping at farmers markets along the way. 7. Drew Hauser, 28, sales and marketing director, Naked Mountain Vineyard & Winery, Markham, Va. You might spot him: In the tasting room or helping with the harvest. Ideal date: A picnic overlooking the Shenandoah Valley.