The 2004 Pignolo is a Riserva made from the estate’s best hillside fruit in the town of Ruttars, where the new cellar is located. These vines yield small berries and the microclimate allows for a late harvest, which allows for the maximum development of aromatics and ripeness. A big, tightly-wound red, the 2004 Pignolo possesses notable vibrancy and transparency in its dark cherries, licorice, smoke and French oak. This massive, structured wine will require a few years for the tannins to soften, but it is already a very promising and fine effort from Jermann. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019. Silvio Jermann has much more competition from his neighbors these days. One can’t help noticing that Jermann is increasingly being left behind by the area’s new generation of ambitious, quality-minded producers, something that was brought home to me quite clearly when I visited the region’s top estates a few months ago. Ironically for a producer famous for his whites, it is actually the reds that are now among the estate’s most interesting wines. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900