MARCUS GOODFELLOW
“The Story of an Oregon Indie”

Once upon a time, Marcus Goodfellow dreamed of owning a restaurant. Then the dream got even more delicious.

From a wine shop in Los Angeles to a vineyard in Oregon, Goodfellow has followed his passion, carving a path to winemaking that takes vision, creativity and unwavering courage.

In just three years, the 37 year-old Marcus Goodfellow has moved from waiting tables and pouring wine for patrons at the Heathman in Portland, Oregon, to pouring his own small label Pinot noir, Matello, at a James Beard dinner in New York. “I see myself with a full size winery in 2008,” remarks Goodfellow, on beating the odds in his newfound profession.

Now shifting career paths, Goodfellow has joined the ranks of a growing number of Oregonians who are passionate about the art of making wine, and finding creative ways to do it on a shoestring budget. “As a small producer you face a lot of challenges, and one of them is marketing,” says Goodfellow, referring to his own company Mad Wines. “Pounding the pavement only does so much.”

That’s where the Portland Indie Wine Festival came in to play. “It’s the NFL draft of the wine industry,” claims Goodfellow, who has since been recruited as the fulltime winemaker at Bishop Creek Cellars after his ’03 Pinot Noir Matello “Souris” made a splash at last year’s festival. “Building a list of consumers and selling wine is a great benefit, but getting in front of buyers and trade during the excitement of the festival is huge.”

Beginning with 186 cases in 2003, Goodfellow has expanded Matello production to around 500 cases for the 2005 vintage. And even with growth he plans to remain Indie. “The Pinot grape doesn’t work in large quantities – it loses its magic,” says Goodfellow. “In the end, it’s not about making profits, it’s about loving what you do.”

And he lived happily ever after.