cork in though! you introduce the air every time you pour a taste, so evolution changes quite a bit between, say, 2nd day bottle when first day was a party of 2, and 2nd day bottle with a party of 6, and another party of 4.
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Happy Birthday!!
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All if these early bottlings are continuing to improve with some time under cork. I suspect that’s quite possibly at the heart of the improvement.
Cash flow for a traditional multi-vintage sparkling program is taxing, and I’m really proud of the wines we had to release to keep the program alive. But all of them seem to be continuing to improve in bottle and new disgorgements of those esrly wines are also really increasing in quality. Vindependence Day spoiler alert:
We just disgorged our WV Extra Brut from the 2023 vintage, the first time it’s been 3 years on lees and it’s pretty easily another step up. Though I also hope it will continue to improve in bottle as the early wines have as well.
We’re almost to the point where everything will have at least three years on lees in bottle (next year’s disgorgements will) and we’ll begin moving towards being able to disgorge wines from the Tardive program).
I really can’t express how happy I am with what’s coming in the future for our sparkling wines. They represent 20 years of preparation and the execution of them is costly, challenging, and stressful. They are a high degree of difficulty and I love the challenge…most days.
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Well I’m glad you’re shouldering the challenge because these are really unique and impressive wines. And priced very fairly!
As I said in my writeup of our local Berserkers meetup, they aren’t “just like champagne,” but they don’t need to be and I doubt that you want them to be. I thought the Durant held its own with some very good bottles in pure quality terms, but it was really very different on a lot of axes in a way that I hadn’t really perceived when drinking wine from either category in isolation. Many of the deltas are positive, for instance the Durant was without a doubt the most acidic, fresh, bright, mineral, high-toned sparkling wine on the table, just an absolute lightning bolt of citrus and chalk. On the other hand some of the champagne felt a touch more… “complete” feels like the wrong word given its use as a superlative in wine tasting, but it’s close if you dial the positive valence down a peg or two?.. Like my perception there was that the champs had more and more layered “bass notes” type flavors.
I would imagine that difference is mostly coming from reserve components or longer aging, so something that may not equalize per se (again, don’t think "how much like champagne is it’ is really the criterion here) but where your wines will likely gain some ground structurally.
Anyhow, a total ramble, but thanks for keeping after it despite the brutal math. Really hope it is penciling now and am very excited to see where the sparklers go.
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Killer Vindependance deals…
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Sharing a TN from a recent bottle of Tsai below. Will say I’ve been really impressed by the Goodfellow sparkling program as the wines spend more time on lees (and in the earlier wines with more time in bottle). Like anything else I’d hesitate to make generalizations, but if you prefer an acid and mineral driven style these wines are likely to be in your wheelhouse. Worth keeping in mind that they’re younger than a lot of big house champagnes if you think about the current releases being from the last decade still…
- 2022 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs Tsai Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (6/1/2026)
Reminds me a bit of a Vilmart GCdO. Racy, lemon and acid forward, but well balanced. Makes you want to take another sip. Really enjoyable.
Posted from CellarTracker
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so yknow nothing too impressive 
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You’re heading our way around labor day?
That’s the plan. Still need to finalize everything and start contacting my peeps, like the Goodfellows. I was going to post in the Oregon harvest thread if I should volunteer to work harvest somewhere for a week or if folks will be available for tastings that week. Megan and I messaged a few weeks ago, so it’s all good on my end. Look forward to catching up soon. Always delicious wines and a night to celebrate with biubbles…
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Happy Birthday!
We’ll see you soon, I’m pretty sure harvest will be close, or already begin but we will see. We’ll always make time for you though.
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- 2023 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Long Acre Whistling Ridge Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (7/11/2026)
Apparently I have 5 of these, so what the hell let's open one. Tight as advertised on day 1, but really opens on day 2.
Transparent ruby color. Ripe cranberry, raspberry, damp forest floor, turned moss. Medium light body, balanced acidity, lovely minerality with solid tannic structure.
Loads of potential but needs 15-20 years for peak. Another masterclass from Whistling Ridge and Goodfellow.
92-93 (92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Woke up to Marcus putting my name on his special bubble offer for VD, and I was serendipitously enjoying a Temperance Hill BdB so here’s a special note.
Light straw color, ephemeral effervescence, medium body.
Classic Goodfellow BdB reduction. Matchstick, chalky, then beautiful green apple and stone fruit came through. The reduction blew off after 36hrs in the fridge because they were tightly wound like a coil when I popped them.
Really good acid and rounded mouthfeel, not as angular than the other BdB. Lithe and precise, but on an austere side than the more oomph and ahh side of Durant or WR BdB. Citrus, orchard fruits, yeast, minerality on the finish for days.
Could use another few years for more complexity, but this is a no frill choice when I want nice bubbles w friends and not ponder over its intricacies and miss out on the companies.
PSA this bottle needs hella air or time, best enjoyed through 3 days.
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2023 Willamette Valley Chardonnay helped me through an underwhelming world cup final. I enjoyed it more on day 2 when the driving acidity and minerality had come together in a way that suits me. I’m curious to decant it next time.
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Drinking 2024 Whistling Ridge field blend blanc. Fantastic aromatics and acidity. Exactly what I’m looking for in white wine. Totally refreshing, 10.2% abv. Is it crazy to say this is my favorite Goodfellow white???
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2015 Goodfellow Heritage No. 6 (Fir Crest Vineyard) Pinot Noir. Oh my, this wine is just packed. Plenty open and delicious, however . . . I am so happy I have a couple more in the cellar and hope to have a sit-down with this again in a few years . . . and then a few years after that. 
So damn delicious. 
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Great vineyard
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My very first Goodfellow was the 2018 Fir Crest PN, a few years back. Tighter than nails. I think I opened a couple (picked up a number of them at a wine store down in Fort Collins). Probably will be a few years, at least, before I open another. 
Fortunately, I’ve since been able to pick up some older Goodfellows, and also from vintages a little more generous in their youth. Best of all, I got to try that 2007 Matello Marcus and Megan let loose.
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What stage is it at? Still very primary or showing more integrated secondary/tertiary notes?
Also, which wine store? Im up there every few weeks, nice to check out a new spot.