It's still pretty cold in most of the country, but I just received an email from someone seeking advice as they plan a spring trip to a wine country region.

For many people, spring wine touring conjures up visions of idyllically sipping great wines amid flowering vines, feasting on esoteric hors d'oeuvres and learning about wine's joys.

But without advance planning, a visit to any wine region can be a challenge that might result in poor lodging, bad food, GPS nightmares and a strained credit card limit. Since wine regions are unique, suggestions on how to plan vary from place to place.

However, some basic rules apply. Here are a few:

— Never go to a new wine region without doing a thorough reconnaissance. Get a good guidebook to the region and identify wineries that sound interesting. Be sure to then calculate distances from where your lodging will be to the wineries you want to see.

(A friend once asked me to help with a trip to Sonoma County. He wanted to visit five wineries in one day, two of which were Buena Vista and Ferrari Carano. I asked him if he owned a jet helicopter; those two wineries are at least an hour apart. Unless his other stops were brief, he'd never see five wineries in one day.)

— Be prepared to accept modest lodging; not every wine region has a resort. Many wine regions are remote and in agricultural zones. So, hotels and cafes are often seasonal. There are few five-star spas.

— Determine winery tasting fees ahead of time. Long ago, no one charged for small sips. But in recent years, wineries have viewed tasting rooms as profit centers. In some prestige areas, tasting charges can be outrageous.

Often the tasting charge may be applied to the purchase of a bottle of wine. Calling ahead can save money.

— Price alert: Wines bought at tasting rooms are usually priced higher than at your local store. The best reason to buy at a winery is if the wine you like is sold only at the winery.

— Call wineries ahead and find out if tasting room reservations are required. Also, ask about special tours.

— Lunchtime: Plan well ahead. Some wine country regions have few cafes, and seating can be limited between noon and 1 p.m. Sound strategy: Eat either earlier or later. (Tip: While others are eating lunch between noon and 1:30 p.m., tasting rooms are less crowded.)

— Use the spit bucket. It's there for a reason. Tasting wine is not drinking. The idea is to get basic ideas on which to base a buying decision. An ounce or two of each wine is typically all that's needed.

— Plan on having a solid breakfast. Since most tasting rooms don't open until midmorning, there's ample time to prepare for the alcohol that's to come.

— Always ask if the winery has any cellar or "library wines." Many do; some are rare wines and many can be special.

— If you buy wine on your trip, keep it out of the sun and as cool as possible until you return home. Plastic foam carriers are best; some wineries even sell them.

Wine Tip of the Week: Before visiting a winery, check prices of the wines they're selling and check your local stores to see if the same wine is available near your home. Buying wine at a winery could be more expensive.

Dan Berger lives in Sonoma County, California, where he publishes "Vintage Experiences," a weekly wine newsletter. Write to him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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