Who wants to “go on a roadie and crack open some bonzer wines in the arvo.” That’s Australian lingo for “Let’s take a road trip and open some fantastic wines in the afternoon,” says Pia Merrick, Lead White Winemaker for Australia’s Barramundi Wines. In a conversation we had with Merrick for The Connected Table SIPS (listen at link below ) she shared a few Barramundi “ridgy-didge beauts” (Aussie-speak for genuinely good wines): Weekender White blend, Trailblazer Red Blend, Barramundi Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz. Available in the U.S. www.barramundiwines.com
Merrick’s own career as a winemaker has been quite the “global walkabout.” Born and raised in Finland, she dreamed of working in wine at an early age and ended up working at wineries in Chile, Napa Valley, and Tasmania before hopping to Australia to join Barramundi Wines as lead white winemaker. The timing has been great since Barramundi, first launched in 1990, has re-entered the U.S. market in 2023 which a fresh new look and wines for everyday appeal.
Pia Merrick, Barramundi Wines Lead White Winemaker, explained some Aussie lingo to us.
Merrick is passionate about white wine and says, “I love working with white varieties and fine tuning the process of aging on lees and working with different types of oak.” Barramundi is located in Victoria near Murray Darling River, a cool-climate area, ideal for growing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Of course, Australia’s star, Shiraz, can be found here.
Visiting the Barramundi Wines website one can feel the “easy living” feeling the brand wants to convey. Of course, any wine with a VW camper van on the label has instant “curb appeal” for sybaritic sippers!
Barramundi Wines are available in the United States.
Here’s a “snapshot” on each Barramundi wine selection. All are suggested retail $9.99.
Weekender White (2022). “Take me with you for the weekend and bring more bottles for your friends,” says this wine. A refreshing blend of Chardonnay (75%), Viognier (17%) and Colombard (8%). The Viognier delivers the floral notes and Colombard adds fresh apple and acidity that make this wine’s bouquet and flavors “pop.” Enjoy with many styles of food, from Asian pad Thai to grilled seafood and chicken and light pasta.
Barramundi Sauvignon Blanc (2022): “Let’s hang out under a grass hut and chill with some good music,” says this wine, which has delightful tropical fruit and fresh straw notes. Guacamole, mango salsa and chips, anyone? Or grilled shrimp and calamari.
Trailblazer Red (2021): “Get out the grills and smokers. We’re having a BBQ,” says this wine. An appealing mouthful of Shiraz (57%), Petit Verdot (39%) and Merlot (4%).
Barramundi Shiraz (2021): “ ’Meat’ me for dinner and bring a few bottles of this wine.” -Lush and earthy, and ideal for steak, lamb, and eggplant lasagna.
Check out www.barramundiwines.com to learn about the wines and some Aussie lingo to impress your “mates.” And have a G’Day!
Listen to The Connected Table SIPS with Pia Merrick, Lead White Winemaker for Australia’s Barramundi Wines. Click the link below.
The Connected Table LIVE and SIPS podcasts are available on Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets. The Connected Table SIPS! is partner content.