I’ve been thinking about opening a bottle of 2017 Fir Crest Block 11 soon but I can’t say from personal experience how it’s drinking at the moment. I had a bottle in 2021 and thought it was great but some other notes at that time mention that it was tight. Current notes seem to suggest that it’s probably fine to open one if you are not trying to time the pinnacle. (I have 3 bottles remaining so I’m cool with going after one now but I’ve reached for it a few times recently and decided to wait, but I think I’m going to grab it soon.)
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After re-reading my post I realize it’s probably not very helpful. Sorry!
Which vyd is the 15 Heritage? The 15 WR Heritage is drinking well now and Marcus said the 15 Fir Crest heritage was also very good now.
Otherwise I’ve enjoyed 17s generally now, but probably wouldn’t drink the heritage first.
I think #6 is Fir Crest.
Itll be helpful when you post your next note! 
@JustinP it is the Fir Crest.
I figure these have a long life so ill probably just hold for a couple more years to be safe.
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No harm in waiting, though I bet that Fir Crest would be pretty tasty now.
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Had both the 2017 Berserker and the 2017 Fir Crest No. 11 about a year ago. Gave both a few hours in the decanter and then enjoyed over hours. Both seemed plenty open for business and packed with pleasure. Don’t believe I’ve opened another 2017 since, though.
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• 2023 Goodfellow Rosé of Pinot Noir.
Really satisfying. Love the intense salmon color. Unripe strawberrries, a little watermelon, tarragon (?). Lovely.
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Depends on how many of each you have. If it was my last bottle I’d wait, if you just want to check in an explore than any are probably fine. I had a 17 and 15 whistling ridge in the last month and found the 17 still pretty tight and the 15 starting to open up with considerably more to give. I’m leaning towards drinking within 1-2 year of vintage or wait 10+ years to check back in for the reds.
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Im thinking im giving the heritage 12 years to be safe at this point
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Bishop Creek is in Yamhill-Carlton, and the AVA tends to darker bigger wines. There are some exceptions but I feel that Bishop Creek behaves very much in the common style of the AVA. In our hands it shows the house style but is exactly as you say, a different take from Whistling Ridge or the other sites.
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Thanks Marcus! Good context. This has a lot of the same bitters/amaro aromas that I’ve gotten in the (relatively few) 10+ year bottles of your wines that I’ve tried. Is that a whole cluster thing, a fermentation style thing, or something else entirely?
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High whole cluster plus longer ferments. We love amaro, so we tend to lean into those aspects pretty heavily.
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Max,
I’d look to the two Fri Crest wines, with the Block Eleven as my first choice. The #6 shows in that zone as well but is just a notch tighter and tales a bit more time to really open up. It’a a good wine for following the same way @Jason_T did with the #4. No need to go overnight but enjoying it over 6-8 hours is best.
17 Pumphouse is the tightest of the group, and the No. 10 is going to be worth waiting another 2-4 years on.
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Thanks Marcus, does the Block 11 need to be drunk over time or is it ready to roll?
So this may not be particularly helpful, but I opened a 2015 Whistling Ridge tonight and it’s just so great. There’s pure red fruit with lots of depth. Plenty of earth & spices. Man… it’s just so good.
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I like the 21 Block Eleven but I also like tannic wines. The 2017 is in the zone and I highly recommend opening one.
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Ready to roll in my experience.
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17 Fir Crest Block 11 was great a couple months ago. I haven’t opened any of the others recently though. My gut says wait on 17 Pumphouse and Heritage 10.
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Sorry Marcus, I was trying to say I drank a 2017 block 11 in 2021 and thought even then it was great but there were other notes at that time saying it was too tight. I’ve got another queued up though and will report back probably within a week or two. And it’s a no doubter to open one now if you think it’s in the zone!
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