On our last afternoon on Hawaii island, I was gazing at a sparkling crescent bay and planning my evening cocktail. Would it be the resort’s delicious version of the Bee’s Knees, with resort-grown honey? Or . . .

Quietly and without fanfare, Montecito recently welcomed a legendary Architect known for his "elegant barn" aesthetic...

Fred Brander
There's nothing pretentious about Bordeaux varietals producer Fred Brander. For our meeting at his favorite Montecito coffee spot, he arrives in a well-used white truck with an antique Spanish desk lashed to its flat-bed. . .

At 20, Steve Gamble had been cooking for three years when he developed a – small but nice – wine program at an exclusive Big Sky lodge. During visits to his aunt in Napa, he nurtured his interest in wine, and in 1999, he opened GRL . . .

The hamlet of Yountville is a perfect base to explore Napa Valley's attractions. Of interest to architecture buffs are recently developed state-of-the-art hostelries and dining establishments. In springtime, we traveled north to check out the latest "green" trends in Napa's design and architecture. . .

"You know of course about Cartizze," Giovanni Zanon begins, filling our flutes with what is to become our favorite aperitivo. We are deep in Prosecco country in a renovated palazzo, and about to taste award-winning frizzante from a local hillside . . .

Savoring a vibrant pinot noir in a scenic barn or tin-roofed shack is one of the rural pleasures to be enjoyed in Santa Barbara’s wine country. Others include spotting hawks, and the occasional cowboy connoisseur riding up to sample the latest vintage. Recently drawn to the region are serious chefs, pairing farm-fresh ingredients with handcrafted wines in a tranquil setting.

Until now, a bottle of sparkling Prosecco was for casual quaffing with friends, with no more thought to its provenance than a vino tavola. That notion is changing. In northern Italy, the tiny wine zone of Valdobiaddene is becoming known for sparklers that are racy and crisp. "We make 7,000 bottles from this hill alone," Garbara’s Mirco Grotto says, of his family’s one-hectare vineyard.

"You’ll find some of the best cellars in Scotland," Montecito collector John Tilson says. "Very cold and dark, with high humidity to protect the corks ~ that’s why wine found in an ocean or lake sometimes has near perfect storage." For private collectors like John, innovation, drama and climate control are key to personal cellar design.