Are you puttering around Charleston while dreaming of Provence? Are the vineyards in Napa calling to you? Is leaving the low-country looking less likely as the summer rolls on? If you are stuck at home for the next two weeks and are looking for a way to escape, just for the evening, its time to travel the world with wine; France, California, South America and more are right outside your door.

If you love wines from the Mediterranean, then start at Samos Tavern in Mt. Pleasant on Coleman Boulevard at 5 pm on Monday night to savor their regular Monday night offering. Call Samos at 843-869-6619. The cost is $5 and is a great stop on your way to California to experience a five course dinner at Crave Kitchen and Cocktails.

Brighten up those back to work Monday blues by visiting Crave in Mt. Pleasant at 6:30 pm on Monday, July 13th. Join them for a five course dinner of fresh summer entrees paired with Californian Wines. You’ll start with Heirloom tomato salad made with house smoked buffalo mozzarella paired with Ferrari-Carono Chardonnay from Napa Valley. You’ll finish with a tropical fruit tartlet with Renwood Orange Muscat from the Sierra foothills. The cost for five courses with wine is only $54, call 843-884-1177 because reservations are required.

Grab your passport on Tuesday, July 14th and head out to High Cotton in downtown Charleston on East Bay Street for their Bastille Day Bash. You will try 12 wines of the Loire Valley paired with French inspired hors d’oeuvres. Sip and nibble while enjoying the music and ambiance of France. Call High Cotton at 843-724-3815.

On Wednesday, July 15th, travel back in time to the genteel south. On this and every Wednesday through September 10th, enjoy a summer wine stroll through Middleton Gardens in West Ashley for only $10. For more information call 843-556-6020. On Friday, July 17, and every Friday, try O’Hara and Flynn’s around the world wine tasting at 5 pm on Meeting Street.

If you love Pinot Noir and Sideways is your favorite movie, Saturday, July 18th is your day to indulge! Head over to Total Wine at 2 pm in West Ashley and sample Pinot Noir from around the world. The eight wines you will taste include Pinot Noir from Burgundy, California, Chile and New Zealand. You will also get food pairing notes to take home and have a chance to learn about the wines you experience. Call Total Wine at 843-763-7034.

If you haven’t had your fill and are still craving a taste of France, head to Summerville and The Woodlands Inn on Tuesday, July 21st for a tribute to The Tour de France. The trip begins at 6:30 pm with a tasting of 12 French wines and is followed by a four course wine paired dinner. The courses you will enjoy include a roasted duck breast paired with a 2007 Domaine Florets Gigonda form the Rhone Valley; a red wine comprised of a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourverdre. The Woodlands is a five star dining room and you should be prepared to immerse yourself in this experience. The cost for both the tasting and the dinner is $74 per person. Call 843-308-2115.

Of course, you can also experience a world of wine without walking outside your own front door! Your own private wine tasting can give you a romantic evening in Italy, a spicy South American wine tour, or an around-the-world experience you can share with your friends. To set up your complimentary tasting visit The Traveling Vineyard and discover a wine adventure without leaving your living room! Call 843-864-6490.

So, put away the stay-cation blues and jump on the tour. There is plenty to experience in and around Charleston! Cheers!