San Diego

The developer of the newly unveiled southern California resort, The Grand Del Mar, apparently has a reputation for rejecting mere opulence as not quite good enough. I am not sure I want to work for the gentleman (Douglas Manchester), but there is no arguing against what that attitude has wrought.

A $300 million-plus project, according to the Los Angeles Times, that opened last fall, The Grand Del Mar conjures many superlatives. Old World. Upscale. Luxurious. And, dare we say, opulent. (Even so, a few areas are in their final stages of completion and some landscaping is not done yet).

Encinitas, Calif.

It was de ja vu when we walked into the bistro Tastes just after Christmas while visiting the California coast north of San Diego.

A scant year ago, on the eve of 2007, we discovered a high-concept dining spot in North Naples, Fla., called Naples Tomato. It successfully combines authentic Italian fare in the dining room with a retail gourmet food space out front and … even an adjacent wine tasting lounge. The lounge was notable for self-service wines-by-glass accessible by inserting a pre-paid “member’s card” into a corresponding slot above a given selection. There were dozens from which to choose.

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.