Rioja a Go Go! Red and White from Spain, Tonight!

BARRAMUNDAYS WINE & VINYL

Red Rioja vs White Rioja

The harvesting of grapes for making wine in La Rioja dates back to the Phoenecians. During medieval times, monks did the winemaking, taking a great pride in their creation. Reference to these wines has even been found in Spanish poetry of the time.

It's safe to say we are most familiar with the Red variety, which is made up of mostly Tempranillo, sometimes blended with Garnacha (red), Graciano, and Mazuelo. Most of these are oaked, showing aromas and flavors of spice, red cherries, and plums.

Less well known are the White Wines, primarily from the Viura grape. The use of oak in these wines has been lightened up the past few years, to bring in a fruitier freshness to the wine. There has been great debate in Spain about the future of White Rioja specifically and the Viura grape in particular. Many feel that this wine hasn't been given a fair shake in the world market.

What do you think?

Join us for our weekly free tasting, with vinyl by DJ Ilmo & cheese by Saxelby's.

Tonight!

at Barramundi

67 Clinton St

NYC

Battle: Three French Reds, Light and Elegant

BARRAMUNDAYS WINE & VINYL
The Red Terroir..


Chinon vs Red Sancerre vs Brouilly

Yes, we can call this a battle. We can take votes and declare a winner tonight. But I think that each of these wines wins.

Chinon
100% Cabernet Franc, grown near the town of Chinon in Touraine, Loire Valley. Lightweight versions have aromas of blackcurrant and anise, while wines from the steeper, rockier vineyards reveal minerality and a bit of gaminess along with more tannin. Like all our competitors tonight, this is great with food.

Red Sancerre
100% Pinot Noir, Red Sancerre is a bit uncommon here, with the vast majority of Sancerre being white. Typical aromas of cherry and violets, light with a long finish. There is a growing movement toward bringing Red Sancerre to the fore. I for one heartily agree.

Brouilly
100% Gamay, this wine is named for one of the ten 'Cru' villages of Beaujolais: only the wines made from one of these villages can be labeled as such. Light-bodies, with cherry, blueberry and current flavors with a touch of earthiness, this wine is meant to be consumed young, within 3 years of its vintage.

All three wines can be tasted for free tonight. Only $8 a glass- a huge discount!

Cheese by Saxelby's, DJ Ilmo spins the tunes..

Tonight!
At Barramundi
67 Clinton St
NYC

A Taste of Burgundy: Red & White

BARRAMUNDAYS WINE & VINYL
The Most Exciting Wine Region in the World


Two of the most popular wines in France are in the spotlight tonight at Barramundi: Chablis and Beaujolais. The wines of Burgundy are considered to be some of the best in the world. The three varietals used for these classic wines are Chardonnay for white, and Pinot Noir and Gamay for red. While the region is known for its reds made with the Pinot Noir grape, it is equally famous for Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape.

Chablis
A crisp white wine known for the purity of its flavors and aromas, it is made from 100% Chardonnay. This wine from the northernmost area of Burgundy is almost always aged in stainless steel tanks, in marked contrast to white wines from Macconais or Cote de Beaune, which are aged in oak. The result is a very dry white wine with more concentrated minerality and less fruit that its oaked counterparts.

Brouilly
This wine is a Cru Beaujolais, made from 100% Gamay, as all Beaujolais are. There are 10 villages (Crus) in Beaujolais which make the finest of these wines: they are the only wines called by the names of their respective villages. Each village imparts a different sense of terrior; Brouilly tends to be earthy, with aromas of blueberries, cherries, raspberries and currants.

Paired with cheese from Saxelby's in the Essex Market.

Tunes by DJ Ilmo

Tonight!
at Barramundi
67 Clinton St
NYC