For many guys out there, sabering a bottle of Champagne (or your favorite sparkling wine) can be a romantic and unique way to impress a lady.

But honestly, put your machete away and don’t try this at home unless you are an expert.

In this video Rick Casqueiro (winemaker of Domaine Ste. Michelle) shows us how to saber a bottle of champagne at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, WA.

It’s not just about drinking wine, but about experiencing wine using all of your senses.

In this video, Dorian at Briar Rose Winery in Temecula, California explains how to taste wine:

TravelPlusWine.com visited the beautiful city of Venice, Italy.

As you cruise the waters of the Grand Canal you can see quite the water-traffic action with gondolas, water-taxis, and vaporetti (water buses) all sharing the road.

Two Buck Chuck, the wine formerly known as Charles Shaw, should seriously consider hiring these marketing wizards for their next (first?) commerical.

Funny as heck, this wine pretty much describes Two Buck Chuck in a nutshell… for college students across the country.

The Hotel: Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa

The Location: When we’re visiting wine country, we want to stay somewhere boasting location, location, location.

Located in close proximity to downtown Napa (by car) and a skip away from Highway 29, the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa is nestled at the southern end of the valley.  Hwy 29, by the way, is main road running through Napa Valley wine country.

A trip to the wineries is quick and easy; simply hop on the highway and drive north. Within minutes, you’ll be awe-struck as you drive past never-ending vineyards, many of which you’ll recognize (Robert Mondavi or St. Supéry, anyone?)!

The Ambience:

We found the Napa Marriott Hotel to be a great place to unwind after an arduous day tasting so many wonderful wines.

California casual and very laid-back means there was nothing pretentious or snobby about the hotel.

It was each to his/her own as couples and families alike quietly relaxed beneath the shady porches as they dissected their day.

Some even connected with other guests to pass along handy Napa wine tasting tips.

There’s a $7 million renovation happening as the Napa Marriott brings their 247 rooms up-to-date.

We stayed in the renovated part of the hotel which was elegantly modern and very comfortable.

The Room:

Our spacious junior suite was a fabulous break from the real world… as if just being in Napa wasn’t already enough.

The suite is comprised of a bathroom (with 2 doors), bedroom, living room area, and a wet bar/kitchenette that has a fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, and sink.

Let’s not forget to mention ample storage space with two large closets… I like to think of it somewhere to store all that wine so it doesn’t sit in your car!

Typical of Marriott hotels, our King-sized cloud in the sky (the bed) gave me the best nights of sleep I had in weeks. The mattress was cushy and the bedding out-of-this-world.

I’ve never been inclined to actually buy what they sell in those hotel catalogs, but I’m seriously contemplating the down comforter and duvet.

Each morning I’d step into the hotel slippers, wrap myself in the plush bathrobe, brew a cup of coffee, and read the paper on the couch before making my way to the Concierge Lounge for breakfast.

Oh, the life!

The Bathroom:

If you really want to know… The bathroom was big (sorry, no Jacuzzi tub to brag about) and the Bath & Body products smelled divine.

If you need to dry your hair, you won’t find one of those sorry-excuse-for-a-hair-dryer things permanently mounted next to the sink. Instead, check in the closet and you’ll find a real hairdryer with real power and a retractable cord (oh so up-to-date!) hanging in its own black bag.  This may not sound like a big deal, but if you have a lot of hair, it’ll make you a happy camper when time is precious in the morning.

The Amenities:

Concierge Lounge: If you can upgrade to get Concierge Lounge access, it’ll be well worth the money by breakfast! Not only is the lounge a great place to relax, they also serve:

• Continental breakfast- Eggs, oatmeal, delicious fruit, and fresh squeezed orange juice are a few of the highlights.

• Wine and appetizers- If you don’t get enough wine visiting the vineyards, they serve wines (from Beaulieu Vineyards when we visited) along with cheeses and a different featured dish each night (one night it was pasta with a chicken marinara sauce).

• Dessert- Stop by before you go to bed for some sweets (chocolate cake both nights during our stay), fresh strawberries, popcorn, or pretzels.

• Always available- Bottled water, sodas, Starbucks coffee, and Tazo tea.

There’s also a pool area, fitness center, and the world-class Spa at Napa Valley Marriott. Check out our video for more…