NORTHERN BREWER: Selection Limited Edition

Chilean Carménère/Cabernet Sauvignon(January '08)

The Region: Chile is one of the oldest "new world" winegrowing regions, with its first vintage planted by the Spanish in the 16th century. Winexpert's Carménère comes from the Maipo Valley, Chil's most famous growing area located just south of the capital of Santiago.

The Wine: Similar to Merlot, Carménère is a synonym for brilliant red, 'carmine'. Blended with the king of red grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, it produces exceptionally powerful, rich red wines of great length and structure. Deep crimson red color with luscious fruit aromas of plums and blueberry, a touch of chocolate and hints of coffee and toasty oak. On the palate, notes of red fruit, dark plums, damsons and spice, generously framed by toasty oak with a soft and well-structured mouthfilling texture, velvety on the tongue with very supple tannins.

The Food: Excellent with lighter meat dishes or sausages, smoked meats, liver pȃtés, and brilliant with roast duck.

Aging: Robust, tannic and structured in its youth, this wine will require at least a year to open up and show its rich red fruit, and after two to three years will beguile with its smoky, velvety finish and spicy berry flavors.

SOLD OUT

#40263

SP Chilean Carmenere/Cab Sauv Ltd Edition Jan 08

$113.49
EACH

UNAVAILABLE

Australian Riesling (January '08)

The Region: Australia's vast Riverland region produces nearly 20% of all the country's wine. The warm climate and rich sandy loam soils could produce higher yields, but artisan grape growers remove half the fruit at budburst and limit irrigation. With smaller numbers of berries and water-stressed vines, the resultant grapes, like those used in our Australian Riesling, display highly concentrated flavor, aroma and body.

The Wine: Medium bodied, crisp and refreshing, with aromas of white fruits, juicy apple, and the perfume of spring blossoms. It's wonderfully drinkable, but still shows depth of flavour with minerals and a bracing backbone of acidity and structure. The main difference between a German and an Australian Riesling is that Australian Riesling tends to be drier. The Australian version exhibits the characteristics of the grape that we expect: the perfume, the complexity, and the zest.

The Food: Riesling holds its own in food pairing like no other white wine, especially with savory dishes or fruit - roast pork loin stuffed with apricots is a delightful pairing.

Aging: While crisply fresh and bright when young, it will develop more of its floral/mineral aromas after six months, and after a year will begin to show honey and citrus notes, and continue to deepen in flavor after two years or more.

SOLD OUT

#40264

SP Australian Riesling Ltd Edition Jan 08

$108.49
EACH

UNAVAILABLE

Sicilian Nero d'Avola/Shiraz (February '08)

The Region: The Sicilian climate has long hot summers, plenty of sunshine and mild winters, with just enough rainfall to keep the vines strong. Avola is a village in South Eastern Sicily, where Nero dâ€™Avola evolved through selection by vine growers centuries ago, and has spread throughout the island.

The Wine: Sicilian winemakers often treat Nero d'Avola like Shiraz, which is why the two blend so well together. It has the classic Shiraz notes of blueberry, blackberry and dark fruits, with a delightful scent of rose, cherry and herbs. This dark-garnet wine shows ripe, berrylike fruit aromas lent complexity by hints of toast and smoke. Warm and plummy with a touch of raisins and a hint of almonds in the flavour, there's sufficient acidity to give it structure, but the overall impression is soft as velvet.

The Food: A great choice for lamb chops; rare meat rounds out the wine. Also good with barbecued ribs, filet mignon, classic pan-fried pork chops, and Roquefort cheese.

Aging: While this is a wine that will age well for years, the exuberant fruit will beckon you for early drinking. If you do succumb, put a bottle aside for the future, but you won't go wrong by drinking it after six months to a year.

SOLD OUT

#40265

SP Sicilian Nero d'Avola/Shiraz Ltd Edition Feb 08

$113.49
EACH

UNAVAILABLE

Pacific Quartet (March '08)

The Region: The Pacific Coast of North America has microclimates that match the blazing sunshine of the Mediterranean to the crisp mountain air of the upper Rhine. With so much range and variety, there is a perfect terroir for almost any grape you can name.

The Wine: This wine showcases bright fruit, excellent structure and a long finish. Vidal from British Columbia gives spiciness and stone fruit. Chenin Blanc from California gives a wonderful melony-honeyed aroma with hints of apple. Gewürztraminer from Washington contributes lychee, rose petals and floral notes, and Muscat from Australia's Murray-Darling Valley gives wonderful grapey notes with dried fruit and hints of orange peel.

The Food: This wine has a range of fruit character and enough acidity to stand up to a wide range of foods, particularly spicy and savory dishes, including Thai cuisine, grilled fish, herbed roast chicken, or barbecued salmon.

Aging: Although delicious on bottling day, drinking it early would prevent it from showing its best—after six months the Muscat and Vidal will dominate with spicy/grapey notes, after a year the Chenin Blanc's honey and melon will come out, and at 18 months to two years the Gewürztraminer will show a perfumed floweriness and lush structure.

SOLD OUT

#40266

SP Pacific Quartet Ltd Edition March 08

$108.49
EACH

UNAVAILABLE

Italian Brunello (April '08)

The Region: Italy's long, narrow peninsula reaches deep into the Mediterranean, basking in the relentless sunshine and welcoming warmth. Gently sloping hillsides, rich mineral soils, the moderating breezes of the Mediterranean waters, and unique grape varieties work together to make wonderful wines.

The Wine: Brunello is a large-berried variety of the Sangiovese grape, most famous in Brunello di Montalcino. Italy's hot, dry climate allows Brunello to thrive, displaying great varietal character and intensity. The flavor profile of Sangiovese is fruity, with strong natural acidity, a firm and elegant to assertiveness and a robust finish that can extend surprisingly long. The aroma is generally subtle, with cherry, strawberry, blueberry, and violet notes.

The Food: Brunello shines in the company of assertively flavored foods. Hard cheeses such as Asiago and Parmigiano Reggiano are splendid accompaniments and the wines backbone of acids and tannins make it work well with rich and spicy foods like Italian sausages or lasagna.

Aging: Medium-bodied but boldly tannic and intense, this gripping wine will begin to open up after six months, but the richer flavors will take at least 18 months to show, with cherry and spice dominating the long, fruity finish.

A limited quantity is available to ship now.

#40267

SP Italian Brunello Ltd Edition April 08

$113.49
EACH

UNAVAILABLE