February is the month of amour, and one of the most romantic of indulgences is an overnight stay amid beautiful scenery at a destination winery.

Washington wineries off the beaten path are creating sites where people can come, taste wine and stay the night without having to worry about driving home - no designated drivers, no schlepping from winery to winery and no rushing to tasting rooms before they close. Here are some to consider:

- Cave B Estate Winery's location, on a property called SageCliffe, is stunning - 700 acres carved into the landscape above the Columbia River near the town of George and the Gorge Amphitheater. Tucked in the middle of vineyards sit 30 guest rooms, including 15 individual "cliff houses" poised 900 feet above the river. Within a stone's throw is a cozy restaurant, Tendrils, serving Northwest cuisine.

SageCliffe hosts the dreams of Vincent and Carol Bryant, who planted vines in 1980 and originally made wine under the name Champs de Brionne. Vincent is a retired neurosurgeon who wanted to make wines in the style of what he and Carol had tasted during their many travels in Europe.

"We told our architect to study the property and determine how to work with the land in the design of our buildings," says Vincent. "We told him the land is his client and he needed to look and listen."

The Bryants studied the soils to determine where certain grape varietals would thrive and later completed their project with a restaurant serving local organic foods. Cave B wines are meticulously crafted entirely from grapes grown on the property by winemaker Freddy Arredondo. The restaurant serves only Cave B wines that are thoughtfully paired with the menu.

 "The power of this place can energize you and soothe you at the same time," says Carol.

Besides wine tasting, guests can tour the wine caves built into the land, hike the surrounding property down to the river, bicycle, bird-watch and stargaze (the night sky is unpolluted by city lights and smog). To enhance Cave B as a destination site, the Bryants plan to build art studios and dormitory- style housing for an artists-in-residence program and to put in a golf course.

- In Walla Walla, Basel Cellars Estate Winery offers 87 acres of beautifully landscaped, gated property complete with swimming pool, hot tub and sauna. Greg and Becky Basel, along with their new winemaker, son Justin Basel, offer plenty of amenities, including catered meals, massages and even fishing trips around the region. The catch for this destination is that you have to join the Basel Cellars Wine Club and commit to purchasing a certain amount of wine throughout the year.

The main building's seven bedrooms and one master suite can accommodate up to 18 guests, lodge-style, and there's an additional room in the poolside cabana. The mansion is a cross between Mount Hood's Timberline Lodge and the behemoth Ponderosa log house on TV's Bonanza. Basel Cellars makes a great getaway for several couples or an appealing executive retreat for companies.

"We want this to be a destination for people," says Becky Basel, who owned vineyard land for years before she and her husband purchased the mansion. "There are many wineries in Walla Walla, but at Basel Cellars, you never have to leave."

- Another Walla Walla destination winery is Abeja, a turn-of-the-century farmstead with five cottages and 22 acres of gardens. Winemaker John Abbott produces some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the region, in small quantities that sell out quickly. The Abeja Inn operates from March to mid-December.