Not in Spain, but I can drink wine too!

My dear friend is in Spain, waking to fresh bread and coffee, ending the day with Tempranillo and Cava. Jealous much? Uh huh. But, instead of wallowing in it, I have decided to go to San Francisco to visit a friend in a couple weeks, take a day trip to Napa and Sonoma and get my own wine on.

I started my interest in wine when I was in college, but by interest I mean gallon glass bottles of Carlo Rossi with friends on weeknights or Yellow Tail drunk heavily during a Sex in the City marathon with my girls, half laughing, half crying. It fit the budget.

Of course, I knew what good wine tasted like. I have two older sisters and our family gatherings always had several bottles of carefully picked vino, paired to perfection with the delectable entrees that were planned out nights in advance. Our family loves to eat and drink, the only things we splurge on, even though most of us are constantly broke.

After college, I moved to New York, where I found my fair share of wine bars, wine shops, wine enthusiasts, and I quickly became one myself. I started shopping at a little place called Wine Therapy on Elizabeth Street. They had terrific $20 wines. I always accepted their recommendations, especially when asked first what I was having for dinner. They logged my name in the computer so they could track all my purchases, which was helpful when I couldn't remember name of the white wine, you know, the one with strong grapefruit, but not too sweet.

For my Spanish wine cravings, I frequented a tapas restaurant in the East Village called Xunta. Lucky for me, they also had amazing tapas, bacon wrapped dates (or, devils on horseback) being the most memorable, and futbol on TV.

And then....

We moved to Portland. The Willamette Valley. Pinot Country! And my love affair began. My knowledge of Oregon wines is mediocre, at best. I can't afford enough, or drink fast enough to know them all. New varietals come out so quickly, as well as new labels popping up all over. But that doesn't stop me from trying. I became a guild member at the small, but amazing Willamette Valley Vineyards and get specials shipped to me. I try everything recommended to me by friends. I started a wine diary, but forget to keep up with it. I am not hardcore. Maybe I just like to drink it.

So, we have this trip planned. Napa and Sonoma. Just a day trip. Maybe Napa or Sonoma. How many wineries can one really hit in one day? And in that case, we must make some very important decisions. Get out the wine magazines. Where should we go? Suggestions?