Fodor's Expert Review Porter Creek Vineyards

About as down-home as you can get—the easygoing tastings at this modest family farm take place in or just outside a small redwood-beamed structure—Porter Creek makes notably good wines, some from estate biodynamically grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Its vineyards climb up steep hillsides of volcanic soil that is said to impart a slight mineral note to the Chardonnay; cover crops planted between the vines provide erosion control in addition to nutrients. Winemaker Alex Davis—son of George Davis, who founded the winery—also makes two wines from old-vine grapes, Carignane from Mendocino County and Zinfandel from Sonoma County, and his lineup includes Viognier and Syrah.