As you can well imagine, I enjoy a good bottle of wine. But perhaps just as important as the wine is the experience of wine; the way the wine glass feels in your hand, how good wine leaves legs as you swish it around in your hand. I take comfort in the art form behind making the wine.

I like wine so much that 8 years ago, my honeymoon was in Sonoma, the heart of California wine country. We stayed at the Bella Villa Messina in the cute little wine town of Healdsburg, CA. We stayed in the French Room and had a fantastic time staying in what I still think is the best Bed & Breakfast in the USA. Every morning we awoke to an amazing breakfast made by one of our co-hosts, Harold. Then we allowed Jerry to chart our way through the best of the local vineyards, complete with a map.

From Silver Oak to Simi to Canyon Road to Hop Kiln to Ferrari-Carano, we had some great wine. Then back “home” to the Villa Messina for drinks by the pool, a little siesta, and back out for dinner.

My favorite dinner spot was Bistro Ralph. A bit loud, but Jerry got us a great table in the window where spent a leisurely dinner reminiscing about our day. The food was good, the wine list was superb, and dessert was to die for.

My new bride’s favorite was the Restaurant Charcuterie. Very intimate, but with an excellent wine list; it was a dream. Alas, I looked for it on the web, and I can’t be sure that it is still there.

Of course, you couldn’t beat a quick stop at the Oakville Grocery for olive oil, french bread, fresh mozzarella, and prosciutto. We picked up a small picnic and took the short drive to the Armstrong Redwoods. Our romantic lunch and walk among the redwoods was then followed by a beautiful drive down the coast in our rented convertible. What a day!

Still, 8 years later, the two things that I still yearn for, that I still dream about, that me and my fantastic wife still talk about, are that Silver Oak Cabernet and the Villa Messina. Both have left a lasting impression on us - making that association between great wine and happy times.