Wine tour between Strasbourg to Annecy

I'll take the easy one:

3) If we drive through Germany and Switzerland, do we need to be aware of any customs/driving rules? Do they drive on the same side as the French and Americans?

For Switzerland, you will need a vignette (pronounced veen YET uh), a sticker that goes on your windshield and takes the place of tolls on the highways. It costs 40 CHF per year and is not available for a shorter period.

For France, you need an International Driver's Permit; you get this from AAA in the US before your trip, and carry it with your US license.

All four countries - Switzerland, Germany , France, and the US - drive on the same side of the road.

vincelanier, Technically there is customs between Switzerland and all other countries and technically there is a limit to the amount of alcohol you can import into Switzerland. In practice, they never stop obvious tourists.
There is no customs between France and Germany (both are in the EU). There is no passport check between any of these countries (all 3 are in the Schengen Area).

If you car hasn't got an Autobahn toll Vignette on it, and you cross the border on an Autobahn/Autoroute, you will need to stop at the border and buy one for CHF 40 (they also take Euros). It is virtually impossible to cross Switzerland without going on Autobahns/Autoroutes.
The Autoroute from Strasbourg to the Swiss border is toll free. All Autobahns in Germany are toll free. Once you cross back into France and head for Annecy you will hit tolls.
All countries in mainland Europe drive on the right (imagine the chaos on the border if they didn't). Do not break speed limits.

There are lots of vineyards in Alsace between Strasbourg and the Swiss border. Also lots on the German side of the Rhine.
Visit and tasting are free, but they assume you are a bona-fide customer and will buy something at the end.
For example: http://www.bezirkskellerei.de/