Goodfellow Family Cellars Rosé of Pinot Noir '25

Goodfellow Family Cellars has been part of my Oregon story from the very beginning. Marcus Goodfellow is a longtime friend, and I still remember tasting some of his first wines aged in his basement in Northeast Portland. Today, Goodfellow is rightly recognized as one of the Willamette Valley’s most precise and thoughtful producers, making site-driven, age-worthy wines from sustainably farmed, non-irrigated vineyards throughout the valley.

The 2025 Rosé of Pinot Noir is especially exciting for us, as this is the first time we have ever received Marcus’s rosé. It comes entirely from the House Block at Whistling Ridge, one of the key vineyards in the Goodfellow lineup. This is direct-press Pinot Noir, though not in the simplest sense of the term. The fruit usually sits for 24 to 96 hours before pressing, and Marcus notes that the wine’s color comes in the back half of the squeeze, giving it a little more depth and presence while still preserving the freshness and delicacy that make Oregon Pinot Noir so compelling.

What I love about this wine is that it is both serious and completely pleasurable. There is bright red fruit, citrus peel, floral lift, and that cool, transparent feel that defines Goodfellow’s best wines. It has enough texture and depth to make it more than just a patio rosé, but it still has the freshness and ease that make you want to drink it on a warm evening. Quite simply, it is one of the best rosé I have tried this year. Think grilled fish, spring vegetables, or honestly, just a chilled bottle and a good conversation.