The charming vintner Betty O’Shaughnessy left her enviable perch on Howell Mountain to be in Chicago this week. She began by dining at the celebrated TRU, then the following day reconnected with sommeliers, restaurateurs and retailers during a private lunch in the gallery room at NoMI, an acclaimed dining destination inside Chicago’s posh Park Hyatt. The event’s host was leading Midwest distributor Troy Clements of Pure Wine Co.

With her new husband, Paul, at her side, Betty is on the road with new sales and marketing director Mike Steffel to herald the forthcoming release of the 2004 O’Shaughnessy Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. There is much to herald.

Chianti Classico, Italy

Honestly, I feared I would never see La Brancaia’s principal wine production facility tucked away in the rolling hills of a town called Radda-in-Chianti. We’d plodded along on the dusty, winding gravel roads (a.k.a., ”white roads”) for so long I half expected to end up hopelessly turned around and lost, or, perhaps, plunging off a cliff into a remote vineyard. (Maybe not the worst way to go).

But when finally we navigated our Alfa Romeo into a small parking area on the grounds of Brancaia, the exceedingly patient Julia Plescenko assured us that ours had been a typical journey.

“There are two roads to arrive here,” the sales and customer service manager said. “Both are horrible.”

Montalcino, Italy

A week in Tuscany certainly is not enough. A month or two would be optimal. But we tried to make the most of our week in a lovely villa outside of Buonconvento, just a few miles north of Montalcino’s outskirts and famous Sangiovese vineyards. From the villa’s pool area we faced south toward the vastness of 4,300-acre Castiglion del Bosco, one of the area’s oldest estate vineyards and the site of an exciting development project partially underwritten by the design conglomerate of the late Salvatore Ferragamo (and headed by Ferragamo heir Massimo).

A few headlines now, with more detailed reports from major wine producers and dining destinations still to come. Check back in the days ahead.