After a bit of controversy surrounding the 2003 vintage, the Brunello di Montalcino’s marketing arm is touring the US with a focus on the outstanding 2004 releases coming into the market this Spring. A handful of producers were accused of doctoring up their wines with illegal grapes, Merlot and Petit Verdot, while the local appellation laws mandate the be made with 1oo% Sangiovese.

At a luncheon this afternoon at Staffan Terje and Umberto Gibin’s outstanding Perbacco restaurant, we started with house made salumi, then were served a first course of Agnolotti dal Plin filled with Roasted Veal, a second course of Pan Roasted Sea Bass with Wild Mushrooms and Brunello Butter, and a cheese plate with Testun Sotto Folgie, Gorgonzola Dolce Latter and Raschera. Along with these delicious dishes we were able to taste many older vintages of Brunello di Montalcino, including a breathtaking 1979 Col d’Orcia Riserva, still very much in its prime with notes of leather, cherry, orange zest and even mint, as well as a Bordeaux-like 1993 Vigna del Fiore, a classic favorite, the 1995 Angelini Spuntali, a young, peppery 1999 La Togata, and two outstanding ’97’s, the 1997 Tenuta Silvio Nardi and the 1997 Poggio Antico Altero. Guest Speaker Karen Macneil commented that the region is modern and traditional at the same time, and that “the most modern thing of all is to be old.”

True, while the 04’s are black and bitter, tannic, gripping, chewy, minerally, and acidic, everything a young Brunello should be, it is not everything the modern palate wants now. In the case of Brunello di Montalcino, patience is the name of the game.

I love the name as much as the flavors of this wine, the 2008 Peter Lehmann Layers, Adelaide, Australia, $15. After a nice warm spell here in San Francisco it is back to normal with gray skies and rain on the way, so layering is the way to go. This tank-fermented blend of Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Semillon has notes of mango, guava, papaya, strawberry, violet, pink rose and honeysuckle. It is medium bodied and soft in texture and a long peachy finish.

Another tropical beauty is Josh Jensen’s 2007 Calera Viognier Mt. Harlan, California, $35. Jensen gently coaxes the best from this delicate variety and while showing the ripe and bold characters of its California origin, he maintains a European sensibility perhaps influenced by his first picking gig at Chateau Grillet in the Northern Rhone Valley, home of the world’s most famous Viognier. This wine has notes of banana, peach, white nectarine, apricot, honeysuckle and marzipan. It is full and creamy with ripe fruit, an underlying nuttiness, and a long fresh finish.

Italian reds wines warm the soul no matter what the season, and the 2006 Castino Luigi Barbera d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy, $12 is a great choice. Light in body with a lively chewiness and grip, this wine has notes of plum, cherry, mushroom, earth and black licorice. It is a delightful, traditional/modern hybrid with gorgeous fruit but no oak.

Buena Vista winemaker Jeff Stewart sat on a panel I moderated recently on Carneros Pinot Noirs. We tasted a vertical of the 2006 vintage releases blind, and one of my top picks was his, the 2006 Buena Vista Ramal Vineyard Swan Selection Pinot Noir Carneros, California, $42. Notes of earth, tar and mulch tar preceded the bright raspberry and strawberry fruit on this medium-bodied silky red. Tannins were fine and the finish was long and expressive, highlighting the pretty Carneros fruit.

I also was impressed the Pinot Noir from co-panelist T.J. Evans, Domaine Carneros winemaker, the 2006 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir Carneros, California $35. Winning notes of raspberry, strawberry, strawberry leaf, mint tea and vanilla bean enticed the nose and silky palate, and this pretty red also had highlights of what T.J. called the “fully stocked Carneros spice box.”

For a big red the wines of Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District are a slam dunk. The 2002 Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $70, is still a baby but showing its breeding with deep blackcurrant, plum, blueberry, cherry, black licorice and vanilla notes and its signature soft, seductive texture, and the 2002 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, $290, is youthful also, with more tannins prevalent amongst the cassis, cherry, black licorice, and smoke. Both would benefit from cellaring but hey, we have something to celebrate this week so if you have a decanter or even just some oversized glassware, and the dough of course, go for it!

Wine Classes at the CIA Greystone Rudd Center NAPA VALLEY 

Join Catherine Fallis for:

Mastering Wine II, March 9-13 at the CIA Greystone Rudd Center Napa Valley (see appearances page for details)