Not sure where you're located but I suggest you check and see if your town has a local yarn shop! You could go with your knitter friend and pick something out with them. I knit and anecdotally I can say the smaller local places I've visited (both in my hometown and out) seemed to more consistently have the really nice stuff, and are more likely to have knowledgeable employees happy to help match a yarn to a pattern.

(The big box stores in my area like joanns and michaels seem to carry mostly acrylic and acrylic wool blends, I've never seen 100% wool there.)