Don’t you hate it when you’re reading reviews and the first thing you read is how the person writing the review found the place? They write, “One day, they were walking down the street, and found this place and just had to try it… They (the reviewer) read so many reviews of the place and thought to themself…”

Just tell me what it was like already.

I’ll spare the details of how we have driven by this winery for years before or after driving over our favorite Wholer Bridge just a few hundred yards down the path.

This is one of those wineries that you might have driven by at the end (or beginning) of the West Side Road. This winery was a “someday-we’ll-get-there” winery.

Not a good opening to the review but read on. 

Porter Creek Vineyards on the West Side Road really surprised us, not so much at the tasting, although the host was very nice, but the experience I had with what we paired their wine with was a lot of fun. At the end of the day, the scout for a good wine is sometimes found in the amazing pairing.

I’d like to highlight the 2022 Porter Creek Rosé Old Vine, a simple yet defined wine. There are no fancy fruits or citrus notes to speak of, which oenophiles typically shy away from anyway when trying to find something to pair with food.

When considering Rosé with citrus notes and a strawberry finish, the idea of having it with hearty chicken dishes with cream sauces, fish, turkey, or vegetarian dishes doesn’t sound amusing. 

The down-to-earth experience of this Rosé, however, is like a close neighbor who walks over to say hello. There are no intrusions of an unexpected guest who becomes super talkative and maybe unwelcome, like how some tannins or dry finishes are found in other wines.

The unassuming 2022 Porter Creek Rosé Old Vine is like the comfort of a close friend. You both just enjoy each other’s company. Nothing more, nothing less.

However, The 2022 Porter Creek Rosé Old Vine turned out to be the music at a BBQ that turned (our dish) into a party.

I paired this Rosé with a butternut squash pasta with spinach and bacon bits — sort of simple but great. However, when paired together, it was amazing. It was like two quiet guests showing up, and you couldn’t get them to stop talking. 

Two characters you invited without realizing they actually made a pair showed up! Both quiet and non-discriminate personalities (the dish and the Porter Creek Rosé) actually became the life of the party. 

Sometimes you make this healthy dish but it’s so simple you wonder if it was good enough to make again. You drink a wine that is so straightforward that you don’t think anything about it. 

These were perfect for each other. 

The butternut sauce turned creamy and floral while the bright acid flavors cut right through the bacon bits. If this is the type of dish you enjoy, a stop at Porter Creek Vineyards should be on your wine-tasting trip.

If you have dishes that are more unique and lean towards a healthier diet, don’t underestimate the power of these straightforward wines like the Porter Creek Old Vine 2022 Rosé. Less is more, and when you’re cooking whole foods where you let the foods themselves shine on their own, this is your wine.

You never know. You just might run into a backyard BBQ party you didn’t expect to find.

This is the beauty of Sonoma County wines. The people of Sonoma County know their wines, their neighbors, and what a great party looks like.