Last Wednesday, as California's inland temperatures crawled toward the 100-degree mark, I joined some colleagues on a jaunt to the Napa Valley. Despite dry, smoke-hazed air from all of the state's wildfires, and despite a sun so big and bright it’d scared away all the clouds, I was not going to let anything like a little heatstroke deter me from doing the number-one thing people come to the Napa Valley to do: savor that exalted wine.

The day turned out to be a total treat and the heat barely registered, thanks to the following tips:

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Sierra.

• Do the Double-Fist
Repeat after me: wine in one hand, water in the other. If there is one thing I can’t stress enough it’s the importance of drinking lots of water. When you’re tasting wines in the heat, there’s not only a dehydration factor, but the mix of all the varieties of grapes and wine types can cause a headache if you’re not careful. At Hall Winery, for example, we started with the light wines and made our way into the heavier reds—all delicious—and the staff was wonderful about making sure there was always enough water on the table for everyone.

• Dress Light and Loose
For obvious reasons, when it’s in triple digits, you want to dress lightly, but why loose? That’s because if you’re in Napa, you better come hungry and with an adjustable belt. Take a certain very decadent grilled cheese I ate at The Meritage Resort. This one came on thick olive bread and was filled with a rich and tangy goat cheese that will make me never look the same way at the standard American-cheese diner sandwich again. Later, we stopped at Viansa’s Italian marketplace, where I had to make room to sample everything, from cilantro-pumpkinseed pesto on crackers to fig-date balsamic vinegar on bread.

• Try Shutting Your Eyes
I know this sounds strange, but bear with me… After we entered into the cool Trinitas Tasting Room (which is located in the Meritage’s wine cave—the only wine cave to boast its own spa!), the sommelier asked us all to take a sip of wine, then close our eyes and think of the first taste that popped into our heads. To preface, he told us the story of a woman who had tried this trick and then shouted out, “it tastes like Saturday morning!” When I tried the same wine, a 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, I closed my eyes, took a sip, and what did I get? Refreshing cantaloupe!

• Go Keyless
If you plan on tasting the wine, then please, please, please don’t drive. Really, if you think you’re just going to taste it and then politely spit it out into the ever-present “spit jug,” I admire the thought--but, honestly, I’ve never seen anyone actually use the spit jug (have you?). Plus, the valley and vineyard views are something you want to be able to relax and enjoy. Designate a driver, hire a chauffer, ride the Wine Train or charter a bus, like we did. We went with Gray Line so none of us had to get behind the wheel, and the bus was comfortable and air-conditioned.

Any other tips? Have fun, stay cool, and happy wine tasting, everyone!