Imagine cruising the San Juan Islands on a beautiful summers day while enjoying a glass of wine and stopping along the way to visit wineries in and around the islands. Thanks to StarSail Cruises, a Redmond-based charter company, you can make this dreamlike scenario a reality.

On June 22, wine lovers can depart from Bellingham for a four-day cruise aboard the 160 foot Schooner Zodiac, which can accommodate up to 24 passengers. The cruise will tour the San Juan Islands and include stops at two island wineries – San Juan Vineyards and Lopez Island Vineyards – as well as Port Townsend’s Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery, before wrapping up at Mount Baker Vineyards.

This is the inaugural run for the northwest wine tour, which will be hosted by Boudreaux Cellars from Leavenworth. Representatives from Boudreaux will travel with passengers to lead the cruise, answer questions and provide an onboard tasting of their own wines. Boudreaux is developing a reputation for producing ultra-premium wines, so having them along for the cruise is an added bonus.

The price of $550.00 per person includes accommodations and meals aboard the schooner, transportation to the wineries and tours and tastings at each winery. In other words, all you have to do is hop aboard, relax, and be pampered. Not a bad way to spend a four-day stretch this summer.

I think this is a great opportunity to experience close-to-home wineries and the beauty of the San Juans all in one terrific getaway package. For more information, phone Sherry Krivosheev at (877) 831-7427 or visit www.starsailcruises.com.

Washington State continues to produce some truly amazing Cabernet Sauvignon. The grape may still trail Merlot in terms of red wine production, but there’s no denying that Washington Cabernets have earned their place as some of the best in the world.

The quality of Cabernet is due in no small part to the ideal growing conditions in Eastern Washington. And as the vines mature and the technical skills of winemakers become more polished, you’re going to see even more improvement in the flavor intensity and character of these wines.

Here are a few Cabernets that I’ve recently tried and think you might enjoy:

2003 Silver Lake Winery (about $14): A nice “everyday” Columbia Valley Cabernet at an affordable price. Dense and chewy with plenty of cherry and berry flavors complemented by a toasty, vanilla-like finish.

2002 Thurston Wolfe Destiny Ridge Vineyard (about $20): An incredible Cabernet from the Horse Heaven Hills region in Eastern Washington. Deep and complex, massive black cherry and currant flavors, and a finish of chocolate and spice. Because of limited production, you’ll need to purchase this wine soon.

2003 Lost River Winery (about $23): The small winery from Mazama continues to impress with this tasty Columbia Valley Cabernet. Layers of raspberry, cherry and currant flavors melt into an elegant, velvety finish.

2003 Five Star Cellars (about $32): Another smash hit from the Walla Walla Valley. Fragrances of berry and vanilla lead to explosive dark fruit flavors and a long finish with hints of chocolate and pepper. Gold medal winner at the 2005 Tri-Cities Wine Festival.

Rosenblum Paso Robles 2004 (about $20): Another gorgeous California Zin surrounded with gobs of cherry, ultra-dark plum and blackberry flavors. There’s also plenty of spice on the finish along with just enough tannins to give the wine a bit of structure. Outstanding!

I admit it. Sometimes I refer to wine reviews from other critics when I’m trying to come up with an extraordinary word to describe a wine. I don’t think of this as a bad thing and equate it with referring to a thesaurus when I’m looking for just the right word.

But please stop me if you find me using words and phrases such as “approachable” (meaning ready to drink fairly soon), or “juxtaposition of power and elegance” (the wine is well balanced). And what about some of those adjectives you read about? Pencil shavings, tobacco, grass clippings? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not come across any of these things in my wine glass.

When I talk about a wine I like to refer to its color, aroma, finish and one or more of the basic elements of taste such as fruit flavors, residual sugar or acidity. But how does one know what a particular fruit – say for example, red currant – tastes like? Easy. Buy a jar of currant preserves and taste it. Besides being able to enjoy it on piece of toast, you’ll get a better idea of what it tastes like and the subtle, but noticeable differences between it and similar fruits such as cranberries or red cherries.

Another great way to discern flavors is to do a side-by-side tasting of the same varietal from different wineries. When you’re learning about wines, it’s much easier to detect flavors when you have something to compare them to rather than drinking them on their own.

Above all, practice, which is a great word of advice when tasting wines. And if you find one that tastes like pencil shavings while I’m enjoying a spicy, jammy glass of Syrah, please keep it to yourself – even if it’s approachable.

Because the wine industry has become so competitive, smaller wineries sometimes need to have a niche to make their presence known among consumers. Victor Cruz, owner and winemaker for Canon de Sol Winery has been marketing his wines, in part, by promoting his position as the only Hispanic-owned winery in Washington.

I had an opportunity to meet with Cruz a few weeks ago and sample his current releases. Here are my tasting notes on these wines:

2004 Viognier (about $18): Wonderfully floral with lush peach and apricot flavors, followed by a touch of oak on the finish.

2003 Merlot (about $24): Huge black cherry and plum flavors with smooth tannins and an ultra-long finish. Outstanding!

2002 Meritage (about $28): A blend of Cabernet, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Powerful, complex blackberry and cherry flavors are balanced by an elegant finish.

2003 Syrah (about $30): Another awesome red wine with big, jammy dark fruit flavors complemented by toasty, spicy accents.

Rave reviews and recognition by wine critics underscore the fact that Cruz has indeed found his place in the wine market. But his wines are, quite honestly, so good that he really doesn’t need to work the Hispanic ownership angle. These wines can sell themselves and the proof is in the tasting. Go try them today.

More information: www.canondesol.com.