Romance and wine go hand in hand.  That’s why there are some many romantic places to stay in wine regions around the world.

If your Valentine’s Day plans include a romantic getaway, consider “Wine & Roses” in the Lodi/Woodbridge wine region of Northern California.  Lodi is about 40 minutes south of Sacramento and about 90 minutes east of San Francisco.  The area is home to over 70 wineries.

Cheers! Luxury wine cruises from $2,349
Cruise Europe and sample fine wine, all while saving up to $1,000
Sherman's Travel

updated 7:50 a.m. PT, Fri., Jan. 23, 2009
The deal?Few things in life can compare to the perfect combination of elegant cuisine and fine wine. Doing so while sailing on a luxury cruise ship at a fraction of the cost however, is pure bliss.

Food and Wine Trails provide wine tours at sea on some of the finest luxury ships in the world. In response to the changing economy, the company has reduced rates on these voyages up to $1,000 per person, plus, they are giving away free airfare, free pre-paid gratuities and onboard spending credits of up to $500.

So all you wine, food and cruise connoisseurs can delight in the finer things in life, without having to reach too far in your pockets.

Saturday, February 7, is the date of the 2nd Annual Wine, Chocolate & Art Affaire, held at the Smith Valley Community Hall in Wellington.

Event co-sponsors, the Smith Valley Chapters of Beta Sigma Phi and Soroptimist International, are busy with final plans, and highlights of the evening are as follows:

Wine tasting from local wineries; appetizers and chocolate desserts to compliment the wine tasting; and an Invitational Art Show, featuring local artists' work that can be purchased.

Wine will also be sold by the glass and orders will be taken for cases of wine and there is a great door prize planned and many things for a silent auction.

The time is 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Limited tickets are available at $25 each, and you must be 21 or over to attend. Proceeds are used for local projects.

For more information, or to buy tickets, please call Judi Jacobsen, 775-465-2450, or Bonnie Lange, 775-465-9941; or contact any Smith Valley Beta Sigma Phi or Smith Valley Soroptimist International member.

This is a great opportunity to try some great wines, enjoy visiting with friends and neighbors and support your local community. Since tickets are limited, and it's only a few weeks until this popular event, get your tickets soon.

Wines in Arizona?
I lived in San Francisco and enjoyed weekend trips into the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. I lived in Germany and tasted wines along the Rhine River. I even found some great wines in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. But never did I think I would find good wines in Arizona. A visit to the wine country of southern Arizona proved me wrong.

Getting There
The Wine Country is about 55 miles from Tucson, Arizona. The areas you will want to visit are Sonoita and Elgin and the beautiful rolling countryside in between. The loop takes you from Highway 82 (running between Sierra Vista and Patagonia) along Upper Elgin Road, Elgin Road and Lower Elgin Road. To get your bearings, I recommend picking up a “Wineries of Sonoita” flyer in Patagonia or reviewing the Arizona Wine Country Website.

Patagonia – A Good Wine Country Base
We stayed at the Spirit Tree Inn in Patagonia, Arizona, south of Tucson and we were in a perfect place to begin a journey into the Southern Arizona Wine Country. I looked forward to a day of photography and tasting.