Dried Bing cherry, sauteed mushroom, mission fig. Dehydrated strawberry, crushed lavender, cranberry compote. Licorice, dried orange peel, and pomegranate husk highlight a stupifyingly complex well-developed fruit core that has integrated flawlessly with notes of soy sauce, forest floor, and fallen pine needle. Kalamata olive, bay leaf, and sesame oil emerge to contribute additional umami-laden nuance while dried rose petal and potpourri provide gorgeously high-toned florals. An intricate spice rack of coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and rock salt further enhances the expansive aromatics while turned earth, cedar, and tobacco augment tertiary character. Tart, vibrant, and entirely balanced on the palate despite showing clear signs of age; revealing exceptional purity and precision backed by endlessly layered near-unimaginable depth. Medium plus in body with elevated levels of tannin and acidity. This 2011 "Barrel One" Estate Pinot Noir by Zotovich Vineyards & Winery is an enthralling perfectly-aged red from the Santa Rita Hills.

Although Pinot Noir can often come across as a fruity wine when consumed young, there may not be another variety in existence that gains as much dazzling developmental complexity as it ages. This bottling, crafted by Zotovich Vineyards & Winery using their best single barrel of estate Pinot Noir from the 2011 vintage, beautifully showcases the ability of Pinot to blossom with time in the cellar. While it still possesses an expansive and downright pretty fruit profile the nature of this wine's fruit has shifted from fresh to dried. Earthy forest and spice notes now do most of the heavily lifting without detracting from the wine's innate purity. This sublime bottle is drinking perfectly and is likely at or near it peak right now. Simply spectacular!