Dehydrated strawberry, wilted lavender, dusty red cherry. Pulverized cranberry, morel mushroom, dried red apple skin. Crushed rosemary and sage, damp cellar and wet leaves. Well developed yet surprisingly lively fruit shows off its spunk, graciously spilling dried orange peel and rhubarb preserve onto a desiccated berry-driven core. Intense forest tones of damp woods and organic decay have developed with age and balance beautifully with spiced cedar and seasoned pine. Thoroughly tertiary yet not at all tired, showcasing sandy soils, iodine, and an interesting gamy component. Medium in body with fading tannin and lingering acidity. This 2001 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir by Cottonwood Canyon Winery is perfectly aged and wonderfully mature Santa Barbara County Pinot.

High quality Pinot Noir can age gracefully for decades, yet aside from some of the most expensive bottles of Burgundy it seems a majority of the best international examples of this grape are consumed relatively young. This bottling, crafted by Cottonwood Canyon Winery using 100% Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley, makes a compelling case for extended cellaring. At 18 years of age this wine is remarkably fresh and alive, and it has developed many of the magical flavors only possible via lengthy aging. Fruit here is still quite prominent yet shares the spotlight with deliciously complex natural and savory tones. This wine is in amazing shape and has impressed us tremendously.