A Glass of Wine, Anyone? By: Stephanie Burkhart

I haven't been to Napa and Sonoma Counties since 2007, but to me those spots possess some of the most romantic scenery and ambience I've ever known.

There's something about wine that's romantic – an indefinable quality that warms our heart and makes us smile. Perhaps it's the alcohol content that slowly heats us up? The taste? Sweet or dry? Fruity? Perhaps it's the process and all the hard work put into making the perfect bottle.

When I began writing "Journey of the Heart," I knew I wanted to set the story in the heart of California wine county. Remember the movie, "A Walk in the Clouds?" I recalled the stunning landscapes, the heroine's rich traditions, and I knew my story would find it's heart set in a vintage time period, just after World War II.

In "Journey of the Heart," my heroine is Rachel Santori, 1st generation Italian, who is trying desperately to save her winery. It's 1946 and she lives in Sonoma CA. Enter James DiMera, a World War II veteran trying to find his place in the world. Rachel's winery makes a lot of red wines, but there's a small spot that produces chardonnay grapes as well.

Question: When you sit down to enjoy a glass of wine do you prefer a red or white? California, French or another country? Sweet or dry? Share you favorite glass of wine with us.

Some of my favorite CA wineries include Robert Mondavi and Clos du Bois. I love a heart Cab and I enjoy a German Riesling.

Enjoy this small excerpt from "Journey of the Heart:"

"Your case threatened to run away, so I bribed it." Her sweet expression was an arrow through his heart.

"Really? What did you bribe it with?" He wiped the sweat off his brow with a handkerchief, caused from a combination of the summer heat and lifting the heavy cases.

"A job."

He hooked his thumb toward his chest. "Are you offering me a job, Miss Santori?"

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