Truly uplifting news has come out of Maryland. Two state legislators there have decided enough is enough where outdated wine shipping restrictions are concerned.

In an unusual twist, the men attempting to minimize the ability of state government to continue menacing wine consumers are Democrats. Sen. Jamie Raskin and Del. Tom Hucker, both of Montgomery Co., Md., participated in hearings this week during which they voiced the opinion that Maryland residents should no longer be prohibited from receiving wine shipments from out-of-state wineries and, presumably, retailers.

“This law dates back to the repeal of Prohibition, and it’s obsolete today,” Raskin (photo at right) said during the hearing, according to a report by The Washington Post in its Feb. 19 editions. “We have an opportunity to strike a blow for market freedom and the civilized pleasure of wine drinking.”

How to survive the icy grip of winter and the holiday season’s gift planning dilemmas?

We recommend turning to the luxury trinity of great wine, great food and great places. The mere thought of a rolling vineyard awash in Tuscan sunshine can help you survive the recurring snowfall just outside your window. Wine-driven travel is an ideal gift to give to yourself because it is tailored to be shared with close friends and fellow oenophiles.

As a way to debut Inspired Travel, the luxury travel arm of HinsdaleCellars.com, an irresistible nine-day Tuscany experience has been assembled by a team of experts, including a liason with his boots on familiar ground to help us make the right choices. The tour is tentatively scheduled between May 10 and 19 next spring, an ideal time of year to explore the pleasures of central Italy.

An impromptu wine tasting among friends last weekend escalated into a premium Cabernet Sauvignon summit. We started with a 2002 Gemstone (76% Cabernet) that is thriving only two years after being cellared. (The 2004, just released, is 91% Cab). The ‘02 is a beautifully balanced Yountville release, the essence of meticulous California winemaking. Then we turned our attention to the increasingly celebrated 2004 vintage.

Next on the roster, the 2004 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Oakville Cab ($249/btl). This is a 537-case production destined to be a collector’s classic. It upholds all of the hype surrounding Napa’s 2004 vintage. Our assembled experts, including two devout collectors, were blown away by the Hobbs. The consensus is that this is an even juicier wine than the juicy 2002s. It presents an enormous burst of black fruit on the front end, bathing the palate in those signature Beckstoffer vineyard flavors.