BATTLE OF THE BUBBLIES: NEW YEAR'S WINNER!

BARRAMUNDAYS, WINE & VINYL

La la la la Lambrusco..

This past Monday we had a tasting frenzy. Apparently, bubblies are big. Our last Battle of the Bubblies winner, Cava, didn't stand a chance. Prosecco had a strong showing, but our winner by a landslide was Lambrusco. Refreshing, fruity and surprising, this quaffer won the hearts of a huge majority of our lovely guests, and I think one of the key points of this victory had to do with the fact that it was.. RED.

Yes, it was a huge boon for our red wine drinkers to find a fizzy party drink that lined up perfectly with their preferences. Lambrusco, I think, is coming back in a big way.

Stay tuned for Monday night's Battle of the Kir Royales-  a first for Wine & Vinyl!

at Barramundi

67 Clinton St

NYC

BATTLE OF THE BUBBLIES, NEW YEAR'S EDITION

BARRAMUNDAYS, WINE & VINYL
BATTLE OF THE BUBBLIES:
NEW YEAR'S EDITION
LAMBRUSCO vs PROSECCO vs CAVA

It's Christmas Day, and Happy Holidays to all our friends. The holiday season is not over yet! Which bubbly are you celebrating with this New Year's Eve? Champagne is the classic choice, but tomorrow night Barramundays makes your life a little bit easier (and a lot more fun) by offering three other scrumptious bubblies to sample in time for your New Year's celebrations. Two whites and one sexy red.

The combatants are:

Cava
Only Spanish wines produced in the traditional methode champenoise are permitted to be called Cava. Our selection was the winner of our last Battle of the Bubblies, just before Thanksgiving.

Prosecco
Unlike Cava and Champagne, Prosecco is an Italian wine produced using the Charmat method, in which secondary fermation takes place in steel tanks. Since this is a less expensive process than bottle fermentation, the savings are passed along to the consumer- lower cost, yes, but also a very respectable and delicious choice for your celebration.

Lambrusco
Fruity/floral, refreshing, and making a serious comeback in the US, Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red Italian wine. It's been around since the Romans, and was the most imported wine in the US in the 70's & 80's, (who knew?!). From the wine talk I've been hearing lately, Lambrusco is a favorite, (almost trendy).

Christmas dinner awaits, but the celebration continues tomorrow night, with DJ Ilmo spinning groovy beats.



See you there!

at Barramundi
67 Clinton St.
NYC

RED WINE BATTLE- THREE FRENCH BLENDS

BARRAMUNDAYS, WINE & VINYL 

BATTLE OF THE FRENCH REDS: TERRIOR EDITION

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Three Rich Reds + DJ Ilmo's Groovy Beats= Holiday Bliss

Tonight we will be looking at these three reds, all prior contenders, in a different light. This battle is about terrior: the concept that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region . All three of these wines are blends, from different regions of France, and all three contain the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. How does soil, climate, and geography effect the finished wines, and can we taste the differences?

Chateau Billerond 2009, Saint Emillion, Bordeaux - 30% Cabernet Sauvignon 

A classic Bordeaux blend from the right bank of the Gironde, which means that Merlot is the dominant grape, making it a younger drinking wine than many of its Cabernet-heavy cousins across the river on the Left bank. 2009 was a great year for Bordeaux- will this factor in?

Chateau de Pennautier Cabardes 2009, Languedoc-Roussillon- 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

A non-traditional blend of both Bordeaux and Rhone varieties, this wine was very popular early last month when pitted against another blend from the region. Can the oddball trounce our tried and true Bordeaux blends?

Baron D'Ardeuil 2008, Buzet, Southwest France- 25% Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot and Cabernet Franc round out this Bordeaux-style blend. Ripe with great balance and spiced dark fruit, how will the terrior of Southwest France manifest in this winning wine?

DJ Ilmo all night

All wines discounted every Monday

Cheese pairing by Saxelby's 

Hot spiced wine for the holidays!

Tonight

at Barramundi

67 Clinton St

NYC

7pm- Close

SURPRISE UPSET: WHO WON THE BATTLE OF ALSACE?

Barramundays, Wine & Vinyl

We had 3 standout Alsatian white wines this past Monday night, all by Louis Sipp: Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. The Pinot Gris took a strong early lead, with soft fruit, honey, almond and mineral notes, (also my favorite). Our Riesling, which you may remember as the victor when matched against the German Contender a couple weeks ago, had a few big fans, with aromas of crisp apple, petrol, and great acidity (bring on the food)! However, it was no match for what (I wrongly believed) was the dark horse of the competition:

Louis Sipp Gewurztraminer (2008).
The most widely grown in Alsace, and least known in the U.S., Gewurztraminer is a noble grape originating in Germany; but the best of these wines are made in France. Full bodied, with lovely aromas of lychee and spice, this luscious off-dry wine outsold both the others by a large margin. Interesting, when you consider that the only other off-dry wine in Wine Battles this Fall, (Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Riesling 2009 from Mosel, Germany), far outsold its competition as well. Hmm.

Stay tuned for the next Battle (every Monday night). 
at Barramundi
67 Clinton St

NYC

White Wine Three Way- The Alsace Accord

BARRAMUNDAYS WINE & VINYL
The Alsace Accord

DJ Ilmo spins LIVE every Monday, while we drink ridiculously good wine at bargain basement prices. 


Yay Monday!

Our battlefield lies in the French region of Alsace, between the Vosges Moutains to the West, and the Rhine River in the East. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Alsace changed hands between France and Germany four times in 75 years, and this history is reflected in these noble, aromatic varietals and the wine making style of the region. Three combatants will vie for Victory,

Riesling
The Winner of last week's Battle, Riesling as found in Alsace tends to be dry, with high acidity, with peach, floral and mineral flavors, often with a great ability to age. This wine pairs extremely well with food, and is commonly imbued with the nuances of the place it was grown, (terroir).

Pinot Gris
Not your Mama's Pinot Grigio, although it is the same grape. Pinot Gris from Alsace is perfumed and elegant, softer and fuller bodied, with more color.

Gewurztraminer
One of the most aromatic varieties, Gewurztraminer is also know for its spiciness, and can be dry, off-dry, or sweet. With pronounced aromas of lychee and crisp acidity, it's delicious paired with spicy foods.


With artisanal cheese from our friends at Saxelby's Cheesemongers.

at Barramundi 

67 Clinton St

NYC

THE WINNER: WAR OF THE LOIRE REDS

BARRAMUNDAYS, WINE & VINYL

BATTLE OF THE LOIRE: REDS

The Loire Valley is home to some of the world's best white wines, but on Monday we discovered that the region produces some fabulous reds as well, primarily Cabernet Franc, as well as Cot (Malbec), Gamay, and a bit of Pinot Noir, (red Sancerre). Wines from the Loire, both red and white, are known for their freshness and acidity, and are rarely aged in oak. The reds are a great value, if you can find them. (But of course you can- this is New York City)!

Clos de la Briderie Touraine Mesland Vieilles Vignes

 This blend was a hit at Wine & Vinyl, with the Cabernet Franc lending an earthiness, while the Malbec and Gamay rounding out the wine with soft fruit.

The Winner:

2008 Domaine du Colombier Chinon Cuvee Vieilles Vignes

Medium bodied and fresh, with a bit of earth and spice, this Cabernet Franc won many fans who praised its unique qualities, (in a world full of more common varietals). 

Monday night's Battle will take place in Alsace, France, (so you know, it's all about the white wine)!

RED WINE BATTLE- WAR IN THE LOIRE

Barramundays Wine & Vinyl 

Tonight 7pm-?

Red Wine Battle (War in the Loire) + DJ Ilmo + Good Cheese from Saxelby's.

France's Loire Valley has a wine-making history which goes back to the 1st century. During the High Middle Ages, (the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries), wines from this region were more highly esteemed than even the Bordeaux Region. 

Today, the Loire Valley is known for some of the best white wines in the world, such as Pouilly Fume, Sancerre, and Vouvray. Lesser known are the reds produced there, but of these diverse varieties, Cabernet Franc is king. 

Tonight, we put a Chinon (Cabernet Franc) against a blend  from Touraine (Cabernet Franc, Cot/Malbec, Gamay).

Clos de la Briderie Touraine Mesland Vieilles Vignes
Founded by monks in the 10th century, and one of the most prestigious vineyards of the Touraine-Mesland AOC, Clos de la Briderie has a diverse array of plantings, which is typical of the region, (40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cot, 20% Gamay). Supple and fruity, let's see how it holds up against..

2008 Domaine du Colombier Chinon Cuvee Vieilles Vignes

The town of Chinon is home to many of the finest red wines in the entire region, and the wines made here are known to be particularly expressive of the land in which the grapes are grown. (100% Cabernet Franc).

We are Drinking the Wine

Tonight at Barramundi 

67 Clinton St

NYC

FRANCE OR GERMANY? RIESLING BATTLE RESULTS..

Everyone knows that Americans don't like sweeter white wine. In the  battle between our German and Alsatian Rieslings, the results were a foregone conclusion.

Or were they?

Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Riesling 2009 from Mosel, Germany
Bright and balanced with aromas of stone fruit, apples and herbs, this combatant was semi-sweet, with crisp acidity.

Louis Sipp Riesling 2008 from Alsace, France
Drier with good balance, grapefruit/tropical fruit flavors, this Riesling had a lengthier finish.

Of all who tasted both wines, the Alsatian was the favorite. Vive la France!

Not so fast. Those who DRANK the special wines, ordered the German. Outsold France 2 to 1. What conclusion can we draw from this? I'll let you decide. Both wines were delectable, easy to drink, and great with our cheese from Saxelby's.

Check back here later for info on Monday's the Battle of the Loire- The Reds!