Taste: Cherry, raspberry, fig, spice Food: Bolognese, grilled steak The Barbera grape has been grown in Piedmont's Asti area for centuries, ripening slowly while protected on nearly all sides by mountains. You can get a good pairing to anything you've got on your plate - master a reliable pairing method with this handy chart. Since 2000, it has been possible to produce Barbera d'Asti Superiore, for which the wine must have an alcoholic strength of at least 12.5% by volume, and be aged for at least 14 months, 6 months of which stored in oak or chestnut barrels. Barbera is high acid and low tannin, making it an approachable red wine that goes well with food. Sometimes it is raisin or prune-like if overripe, but generally it has a hint of cherry taste with a touch of spice. AGEABILITY: Traditionally enjoyed within 2-4 years. Many superiore producers refine it in small oak barriques to obtain a … Tasting. Synonyms: Barbera, Barbera d’Asti, Dolce, Babera Fine, Barbera Forte, Barbera Grossa, Wine Name: Barbera, Barbera d’Alba, Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Moferrato. This rich wine has delicate perfume, ripe tannins and layers of plum, raisins and spice flavours. In terms of colour, it is very dark due to its pigmentation, which is why it can be perceived as heavier than it actually is. Why is that? Barbera is a dark-skinned wine grape variety found in several Italian wine regions, including its native Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Campania and even the island regions, Sicily and Sardinia. FRUIT: Dark Cherry, Dried Strawberry, Plum, Blackberry Barbera is primarily a dry, non-sparkling wine that ranges from medium-bodied to full-bodied — think less like Pinot Noir and more like Syrah — with low tannins and high acidity. At the turn of the 21st Century, it was Italy's third most-commonly planted red wine grape, after Sangiovese and Montepulciano. Guide to Barbera Wine The Taste of Barbera Wine. The wine is produced from 100% Barbera planted in and around the town of Alba, on the steep slopes of vineyards which often share soil with Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. Barbare, Barbera d’Alba, Barbera d’Aosta, Barbera Sarda, Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Monferrato, 62,900 acres worldwide (25,454 hectares). Tannins are relatively low unless oak is used. Light tannin and high acidity make it taste ‘Juicy’. Well, one reason is that it has dark staining pigments that dye the wine to near-black. When it comes to wine from Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region, the Barbera d’Asti that has long been a staple for the community of winemakers in Monferrato, has become so … Due to variations in the winemaking process the actual Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of the wine which you receive may vary by +/- 0.5% compared with the ABV shown in the images on our site. James Beard Award-winning author and Wine Communicator of the Year. Barbera d'Alba Superiore by Vajra is a Piedmontese red wine with a full-bodied and intense personality, coming from two important cru of the winery. Old-word Italian Barbera from places like Alba will have an added element of herbaceousness or minerality. Barbera is a fairly unique grape in that it can taste and appear both full-bodied and light-bodied. Large neutral oak casks. A Tasting of Barbera Wines Barbera is an unusual grape variety. The three wines will be tasted at a temperature of 18° C (65° F), in order to favor both the development of aromas as well as the right appreciation of gustatory qualities, in particular crispness. California has a several amazing vineyards of Barbera. @WineFolly. Barbera d’Asti is one of the most famous wines from the Piedmont region of north-western Italy. Copyright © 2014-2018. Discover this unique little grape and never again feel like you have to revert to ‘Chianti’ when looking for a great valued Italian wine. Because of its high acidity, Barbera is best as a good food wine to accompany acidic foods. Made from Barbera grapes that are grown in Northwest Italy and aged in small oak casks. Barbera D'Asti, Monferrato, or; Barbato; ... even peppery, taste. The most common tasting notes include: Red fruit, such as sour cherry, strawberry, and raspberry Wine Tasting Barbera wine At the end of the visit you will be able to taste 3-4 wines to discover the taste of Barbera of which you have heard the presentation during the visit to the cellar. Make sure you do your research before travelling to find the best places for you. Wines are much fresher in style, with tart blackberry notes and ample acidity. What does Barbera wine taste … Barbera wine taste. cold sliced meats, antipasti, BBQ, beef, sausage, chicken, game, ham, tomato-based pasta, pizza, Cheese Pairings: With Barbera wines … How Barbera wines typicaly taste and age Typical flavours are red fruits from the darker end of the spectrum. Barbera wine is easy-drinking and food-friendly, making it a popular everyday wine in Italy and abroad. (ba-BEH-rah) You’ll also find notes of vanilla, nutmeg, and sometimes clove. The iconic red wines of Piemonte: Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera. Barbera grapes for premium wines are always picked by hand in October. Asiago, Bel Paese, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Grana, Morbier, Muenster, Parmesan, Pecorino, Romano, Taleggio. Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy. It is an early-maturing variety and its juice has a dark ruby color with high acidity, wonderful berry-like aromas and flavors and discret tannins. You’ll enjoy flavors of strawberries and raspberries in a mature Barbera. 2 glasses of The Society's Barbera d'Asti DOCG Superiore 500 ml of hot chicken or beef stock Salt and pepper Butter to taste 80g grated Parmesan; Preparation: Melt half the butter in saucepan and lightly cook the rice for a few minutes until it just starts to change colour. Both wines are in fact produced with 100% Barbera and aged in barrique for at least one year. Italy is Barbera’s original home. Wine and food pairing guidelines: It feels light-bodied but has a rich taste. Can pair with spice and does better with acidic foods or sauces. Foods and Entrees that usually pair: This everyday red can be found in vineyards around the world. Barbera needs to get more attention from Wine Drinkers, today Gary explores 3 to see what's up Classic Brands and Sources: Italy – Roberto Voerizo, Aldo Conterno, Coppo, Pio Cesare, Vietti, Michele Chiarlo, Ca’Bianca, Braida di Giacomo Bologna; Australia – Crittenden Wines; USA – Au Bon Climat, Montevina, Bonny Doon, Renwood, Jacuzzi, Viansa; Argentina – Norton. ACIDITY: High The best Barbera wines come from the Piedmont region of which there are several designations to explore! This is my favorite red wine. Like this Barbera d'Asti made in partnership with Araldica in Piemonte. Despite its lowly position, Barbera is the quintessential ‘wine of the people,’ it’s meant to be enjoyed young –and it’s cheap! Tart Cherry; Licorice; Blackberry; Dried Herbs; Black Pepper; Taste Profile The following tasting of Barbera d’Asti and Nizza wines was conducted at the Enoteca Regionale di Nizza in January 2016, where samples were kindly gathered on my behalf. SYNONYMS & REGIONAL NAMES: Domaine Marie 2013 Faugères - the perfect autumn red Middle eastern-style lamb with grilled vegetables and a natural red wine Wine of the Week: Punta de Vacas Malbec 2020 Tags: rabbit with olives lamb shanks braised lamb onglet hanger steak food:beef & lamb wild boar roast pork grilled pork Barbera food:pork Italian red wine drink:red wine braised duck sausages with lentils As with most Italian reds, Barbera makes high acidity wine packing a fruit-laden punch. Barbera tasting notes often include: This was before prohibition, so much of these vineyards went fallow or were pulled-out. Barbera grapes are used both in blended wines and varietals the latter are becoming increasingly comm… Sometimes it is raisin or prune-like if overripe, but generally it has a hint of cherry taste with a touch of spice. Background: A popular acidic, red berry-flavored grape in the Piedmont area of northern Italy. The last wine of our comparative tasting is Prunotto's Barbera d'Asti Costamiole, aged for 12 months in barrique, a shorter period than the one used for the previous wines. It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high levels of acidity. OTHER: Violet, Lavender, Dried Leaves, Incense, Vanilla, Nutmeg, Anise All Rights Reserved. The grape accounts for around 55% of the wine produced in that region. We age the wine in a combination of large Slavonian oak barrels called Botti and French oak barriques for 12 months before being bottled to add further complexity. Because of its high acidity, Barbera is best as a good food wine to accompany acidic foods. It is made with and without oak in different styles. A tough, non-fussy grape, Barbera has been known to be flexible in its acclimation to different regions. This is because the grape has dark pigments that make the wine nearly black. The Taste of Barbera Wine The Barbera grape variety produces a high acidity, low tannin wine that is usually medium to full-bodied with a light berry taste. Mish-Mash Flavor Somehow Barbera wine tastes both rich and light-bodied. When young you can take in intense aromas of blackberries as well. Also the alcohol by volume is the same in both cases: 14%. Mish-Mash Flavor Somehow Barbera wine tastes both rich and light-bodied. Primary Flavors. I co-founded Wine Folly to help people learn about wine. It’s considered a lesser wine to Nebbiolo and, therefore, doesn’t earn the best grape-growing real estate (such as South-facing slopes on hills above the ‘nebbia’ or fog). The barbera grape makes wines that are juicy and relatively light-bodied despite its bold, deep purple color. The best known appellation is the DOCG … Wines and foods that are single-noted can be made whole when put together. Barbera, Barbera d’Asti, Dolce, Babera Fine, Barbera Forte, Barbera Grossa. Depending on the winemaker's style, it is fermented in either stainless steel or oak. These are just a few of many brilliant places to visit in Piedmont. It's typically a deep ruby color with low tannin and bracing, high acidity. Barbera Wine Tasting Experience Map It became a DOC in 1970 and was upgraded to its DOCG classification in 2008, adding to Piedmont's impressive haul of DOCG titles (the highest level of Italian wine classification). Their Sansi 2017 Barbera d’Asti DOCG wine has old vine Barbera with a characteristic flavour of fresh red plum, spices and vanilla. Why is that? Well,... Barbera Food Pairing. I tasted more than 70 wines and was not surprised to find wine quality very high across the bobaudaard. New world Barbera today is more full-bodied and fruit-forward. Pairs with a wide range of meats except light fish dishes. In the New World, Barbera is often juicier and fruitier, with notes of cherry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry, with just hints of the baking spice. The first wine of our comparative tasting is Marchesi Alfieri's Barbera d'Asti Superiore Alfiera, aged in barrique for 12 months and at least 8 in bottle. Its taste has notes of sour cherry and strawberry, flavors that are often present in light-bodied wines. Add a glass of Barbera and continue cooking until absorbed. Best enjoyed with roast beef or ravioli. Acidic and fruit-forward, you’ll find red fruit flavors such as cherry, strawberry, and plum. Around 5-8 years Barbera’s fruit dims, … Barbera is an ancient … TANNIN: Low In fact, before French varietals were popular in California there were many Italian farmers planting Italian grapes all over! The wine, while very dark in color, is actually quite light in taste. Copyright © 2014-2018. This map lays out tons of great wines awaiting your discovery in one of the largest wine making areas on earth. It's always matured in oak barrels for a year or more to develop aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, coconut, chocolate and leather. OAK: Yes. Century-old vines still exist in many regional vineyards and allow for the production of long-aging, robust red wines with intense fruit and enhanced tannic content. Taste: Bursting with cherry and … The man who first put Barbera on a pedestal, or at least demonstrated that it was capable of making serious wine rather than local mouthwash, was the late Giacomo Bologna of the Braida estate whose Bricco dell'Uccellone was the first internationally marketed Barbera. Barbera is the hardy staple grape of the famous Piedmont region in Northern Italy. Barbera is extremely drinkable due to its refreshingly high acidity, low tannins, and moderate alcohol. Barbera has long filled-in the low slopes and valleys of Northern Italy. Barolo is what everyone talks about from Piedmont, but Barbera is what everyone drinks! Most of the Barbera you’ll find is from Italy which leans towards more herbaceous flavors, you can see the differences below. All Rights Reserved. With Barbera, heterogeneous wines are produced under the taste-olfactory profile, given that the production area is very wide and the various environmental conditions always mark the final product out. Made from Barbera grapes that are grown in Northwest Italy and aged in small oak casks. The aromatic profile is composed by ripe red fruits, undergrowth and earth with references to the floral and spicy world. Designed by WebCoUSA.com. However, the taste of Barbera has notes of strawberry and sour cherry: flavors synonymous with light-bodied wines. With high acidity and low tannins, the wine has a juicy feel. Barbera d’Alba is a DOC in the northwest region of Piedmont, Italy. 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