Popped open my first Goodfellow tonight - the 2017 Whistling Ridge. Man, that’s in a good spot! Decanted for an hour, then drank over the next hour. Saved about enough for one glass tomorrow just to check in on it. Good enough that I took them up on their holiday offers 1, 2, and 4 to get some more bottles with a little bit of age on them.
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Hi Terry,
We used to take Pinot Noir from Block 3A and 3B. The 2013 is 100% Wadensville from 3A. The 2015 I believe is from 3B the Pommard but I can check my notes on it. It was a single 400L puncheon, free run from a 100% whole cluster fermenter.
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Opened a 2018 House Block and 2018 Berserkers Chardonnay on Fri. Both drinking quite well. The House Block really came into its own on day 2.
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I was debating opening a 2015 Fir Crest tonight. Do they typically need that much air at 10 years?
I’ve only had a few of the 2015s so far. I tend to try to find what Marcus may be saying about them. A little over a year ago he posted (under “Vintages” on the website) this about the 2015 PNs:
“Now, (8/ 2024) these wines are starting to come out of their “dumb phase”, and while still in early maturity, a decant or some time being open can offer tremendous current enjoyment with the promise of plenty of upside in the decade ahead.”
And this in particular about the Fir Crest (which I haven’t yet tried; only 2015 Fir Crest I have, I believe, is the Heritage #6):
“Fir Crest, opened several hours ahead of time is really beginning to show the class of the site. There was great layering in the blue and black fruits with a beautiful violet expression layered in. Acids were integrated and tannins gave a savory structure but were a lovely counterpoint to the natural power of the wine.”
So, given that view from August 2024, I’d probably go with a decant and open for a bit prior to drinking. 
Scott, another source is the Goodfellow 2025 fall release comments:
“It’s almost a truism that life for Goodfellow Pinot Noirs begins at 10 years. While there can be a nice window early in the wine’s life and it’s not unusual for the wines to show reasonably at 6-8 years in bottle, at 10 years the wines really seem to begin their evolution into maturity. Generally speaking, they’ve sorted themselves out from their “adolescence” and show their true selves with 30-45 minutes in a decanter. They are not old by any means but rather have simply reached the age where they have beautiful fruit, secondary notes, glassy textures, and finely integrated acidity and tannin. The 2015s are definitely in such a place. A robust vintage, these wines are all a little broader through the shoulders than many later vintages. But they show a lovely complex nature and are the perfect wines for Winter meals or hanging out with friends. They’ll easily live another decade but are solidly in the “open whenever you like” phase now.”
Looking forward to hearing about that Fir Crest!! Enjoy!
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Just took delivery of [redacted] cases of Goodfellow accumulated over the course of BerserkerDay, regular releases, and a visit that lined up with VinDependence Days. Got a bunch of sparklers, 2023 WR field blend, and some 2013 and 2015 Pinots on deck for the near/medium term… plus a sacrificial bottle of the 2023 Berserker chard. Psyched!
Is protocol on the sparklers still to open in the AM and put a champagne stopper on, then drink that night (or the next night)? Anyone tried the Temperance Hill Blanc de Blanc?
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The Fir Crest less so, but it should still be a wine that unwinds over the evening. At 10 years I find the Whistling Ridge can take a few hours in cooler vintages (2015 should be just fine after about 20-30 minutes).
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Thanks!
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We opened a 2005 Matello Pinot last night for our harvest dinner and it was excellent right out of tye gate. No signs of fading at all, the nose was like Christmas trees, with dark berries and a woodsy feeling. Really lovely and definitely in the zone.
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I think the need to open at the beginning of the day is passing. Most of the sparkling wines seem to be good to go pretty quickly right now. We poured the Temperance Hill BdB at the open house this weekend (finishing out the last few cases). I think it’s great right now and shows out pretty quickly.
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To me, the 2015 Fir Crest showed pretty open even when it was younger, seems to be a bit like Durant in being more open at an early age. I had a 2015 Heritage No. 5 (Durant) recently and it was show very nicely. I also opened a 2015 Goodfellow Whistling Ridge Pinot Noir in May and it was starting to enter its prime drinking window as Marcus has said about the 2015s.
I should note that I tend to be an “open and follow over the evening” rather than a “give it a certain amount of air” kind of fellow.
-Al
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Anyone notice sediment in the 2015 heritage wines? Trying to figure out if I can get away with opening one of the new arrivals on or around Tgiving.
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There’s not much sediment to speak of in tye 2015s. I would think you’ll be ok on that aspect. I’m never sure how travel will affect the wines exactly but I suspect the 2015s would handle it well enough.
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Of the 2015 Heritage wines, I’ve only opened the aforementioned No. 5 (Durant). No sediment issues that I recall (and think that I would).
-Al
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Thanks Marcus! Appreciate it.
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Delicious. More primary than expected with a core of fruit in the Raspberry/Pomegranate/Cranberry range, a silky mouthfeel, mid palate depth, and lengthy saline finish with hints of leather and mushroom. Intense palate with plenty of grace. Should (but probably won’t) hold my remaining bottle for a few more years and see how it develops.
Gave it two and a half hours of air, incidentally, and it was still evolving on the last glass.
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While drinking your Marcus and Meghan favorites drop a note over here and support a charity.
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WV Extra Brut, one day off the truck, popped and poured five ways to the family in town for the holiday. Paired with excellent sandwiches picked up from a local favorite lunch spot. Probably would have benefited from some air time but very good regardless, with lemon, red apple, chalk, and toast. Crisp acidity, grippy, and with aggressive mousse that settled over the half hour we drank it. Great stuff, glad to have several more bottles knocking around.
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