What’s the vintage on the Richard’s?
-Al
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2023! Wife popped
It while I was at the gym!
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It’s young and showing a little reduction, but quite good and showing pretty well in its youth.
-Al
Yup. Even the wifey called matchsticks!
Loved the chalky finish.
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- 2015 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Bishop Creek Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (1/6/2026)
Needs 2-3h to fully open but rather impressive when it does.
Aged red fruit and earth meets proper acid and tannins brightening the palate to a true red tone. Finish is long with plenty of spice box and deep red fruit to match the mineral kick.
Agree with prior notes, riper than usual and a product of the vintage. Great quality and enjoyed this more than I expected. Has years left in the tank but drinking really nicely now.
92+ (92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Are you talking about the wine or Alfert at the gym?
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Are you suggesting Alf is young and/or showing well?
-Al
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Ok, so just popped the 2022 Tsai Blanc de Noirs. I did poke around on the GF website, and couldn’t find the composition of what’s in the bottle.
@Marcus_Goodfellow @Megan_Joy can you help a brutha out? (Or anyone else?)
100% Pinot Noir from the Tsai vineyard. Pretty sure the disgorgement and dosage are on the bottle. What else did you want to know?
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All Pommard clone Pinot Noir planted in 2001. Elevage was 820L Acacia puncheons, disgorged last December(2024).
It’s been really lovely lately.
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This community rocks!
Thanks!!
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What does acacia barrel add to the wine vs. oak?
Wow, I absolutely loved the Whistling Ridge 2024 Field Blend. Said “wow” actually out loud when I tasted it the first time.
I’m not great at describing wines I don’t think, but it was so bright and lively. Tasted “bigger” than any other white wine I could remember. I loved it so much. Citrus maybe. Peach? But like bright or tart or zippy peach? Hard to explain, but great.
Just as good the next night as well. Only have one bottle left from my “Dan Kravitz” order over the summer, but if it’s for sale again anywhere I’ll buy a case for sure…
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These were older so the true impact is more about the small amount of oxygen barrels allow in that tanks do not. And the size, just under the size of four barriques, means a larger mass in the ferment so we get just a little higher ferment temos for the whites, which gives just a bit of textural richness.
But Acacia tends to lift the wine up, like a pedestal rather than drape it like a jacket, which is how I often view oak as a ferment vessel. It really elevates fruit, and when the barrels are newer there’s a feeling of golden tones to the fruit.
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Non-WB compliant glassware. don’t celebrate yet the game is Monday night.
I think “wow” is an excellent descriptor of the Field Blend.
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I’ve always enjoyed your wines aged in Acacia. Perhaps nostalgia, but the Caprice is the wine that sticks out for me which IIRC was aged in Acacia? Loved that wine.
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I buy the Whistling Ridge field blend pretty much every vintage and have since the 2014 vintage. It’s delicious on release but it also can age 10 years from the vintage. They maintain their freshness as they age, but they also gain some weight and depth with time. So if you buy a case, try to hold a few bottles for several years (assuming you like aged whites). I think most people overlook the aging potential of this wine because it’s such a great value, but I drink most of mine between 7-10 years.
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