Food: Sonoma Portworks going Roquefort

Every Saturday and Sunday in January, Sonoma Portworks offers complementary pairings of its 'hand (and foot)-crafted varietal ports with a selection of local blue cheeses.'

Bill and Caryn Reading, 32-year Sonoma residents, have the only winery in Sonoma County specializing in ports and after-dinner wines. While Sonoma Portworks is located in Petaluma, thanks to lower overhead, their tasting room is well worth the trip.

Their petite sirah, petit verdot and Norton ports are all made from sustainably grown grapes. Barrel aging and bottling need nurturing and attention. Those of us who love ports appreciate this.

At the January weekend pairings, Sonoma Portworks will also pour other award-winning and after-dinner wines such as Deco port with dark chocolate essences, Duet cream sherry with hazelnuts tones, Maduro Tawny Port and a Cask Reserve port.

Sonoma Portworks also makes the intense, almost chocolate-tasting Sonomic Almost Vinegar. (We lost a bottle of it to our last earthquake when it fell, broke and spilled on our Mexican paver floor. Big decision was whether to 1) get down on the floor and lick it up; 2) spread it around the entire floor; or 3) mop it up gingerly.)

This should be a great tasting that includes ports, sherries and blue cheeses. Free. Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. (Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.) 613 Second St., Petaluma. 769-5203. info@portworks.com. Portworks.com.