Barbera is grown mainly in Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Sardinia what Italy is concerned but nobody disputes the notion that the best examples are born in Piedmont. 

This grape is characterized by medium-large, pyramidal (rarely cylindrical) bunches and medium-sized, oval, very dark blue berries covered in bloom.  Barbera is the darkest of all major PIedmontese varieties: there’s almost twice as much malvin in Barbera skins as there is in those of Nebbiolo. Due to its importance in local economies and the large volumes of wine made, Barbera has been subject of much clonal research. It is a very vigorous, drought-resistant grape that ripens in late September, but due to climate issues can always move some 2 weeks forward depending on where it is grown.

Barbera is performing especially well around Alba, Asti and near Alessandria in the Monferrato hills.

Barbera d’Alba Superiore

Very nice examples of Top Quality Barbera d’Alba Superiore  is Rocche Viberti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Lunga, which won the competition of our 10 persons counting tasting team last week with 94  points. Very special aftertaste was written in the comments of the journalists and professionals in wine business. Of course, let’s put it straight. Also the Barolo’s Rocche di Castiglione and Bricco Boschis are extremely well made and terroir over there is definitely playing an important role.

As not everyone wants to spend 22 € for a bottle of Barbera we placed this wine of Rocche Viberti in competition with Cascina Gavetta, a local wine producer, very small but doing great with its Barbera and Nas-Cëtta. It is very clear the terroir of Barolo – Novello - presents here for Barbera a wine in which fruit plays the central role. Another wine we tasted: Umberto Fracassi Ratti Mentone with Ciabot Contessa, mainly 2016 but we compared with 2015 and 2014. These two years are not in business anymore. It appears to be a wine with a very good evolution: as well in the bottle as in the glass. Also Cascina Gavetta 2013, 2014 and 2015 has been tasted but not available anymore as these were taken from my private cellar. But 2016 is very good for as little as 15 € priced, same as the Barbera from Umberrto.

As the team present wanted to see the evolution in Umberto Fracassi rAtti Mentone Barbera d’Alba and had this vertical tasting we needed to skip two Barbera’s extra:  Barbera Palazzotto from Cadia and Barbera d’Alba from Antica Cascina dei Conti di Roero.

We’ve got still Asti, Alessandria, and Alto Piemonte regio to go.

Barbera d’Asti and Barbera of Monferrato 

In the Asti area it has basically replaced most of the other varieties.  Barbera is an adaptable variety and produces copiously everywhere it is planted: better still, wine quality is never horrid even at high yields, though it too shows site-specificity. Farmers like this grape to work with.

Like some other grapes, Barbera has undergone a remarkable makeover. Out with old tart, eye-watering wines of unbelievable shrillness and in with richer, softer, small-barrel, oak-aged wines of remarkable finesse and tactile charm. 

The wines we selected at the tasting table with journalists, wine professionals from Flanders but also from the region of Liège and Maastricht are Merum 2016 from Antonio Bellicoso, Dezzani Nizza DOCG instead of the 80 anni from Dezzani as it was sold out in no time and we are expecting a new delivery.

Merum received a quote of 99 from Luca Maroni, and Dezzani Nizza 2017 has received a quote of 94 points by Wine Enthousiast. The team confirmed this in the way that Merum shows really the top qualities of Antonio who was enologo for the highest class of top wineries before he started on his own.

The characteristics of low tannins, high acidity and very concentrated color also explains why Barbera has always been considered an excellent blending grape. Of course we only consider for this special tasting set Barbera 100%

The best DOCG Barbera wines in Piedmont are those labeled Barbera d’Asti and Barbera del Monferrato, always made with 100% or at least 85% Barbera.

An even higher quality is Nizza DOCG which is made of 100% barbera grapes grown in a small subzone of Monferrato, under stricter production and viticultural guidelines.  These producers have created the Nizza consorzio and are nowadays becoming more and more important with a very dedicate publicity campaign.

As time is running we were not able this time to taste Vicara’s wines, another exemple of very good wine production. 

Barbera d’Alba versus Barbera d’Asti

The Barbera d’Alba versions usually benefit from better winemaking, but as the best spots in the subzone are reserved for Nebbiolo, well-made Barbara d’Asti can be just as good.

A good,  authentic barbera is distinguished by numerous features: high acidity,  intensely purple hues (even when aged), a recognizable, grapey aroma of red fruits,  underbrush, and delicate spices,  plus a very dry finish (increased in high acidity). As this variety is very rich in color and low in tannins, some producers extend the maceration time to increase complexity and depth of flavor and oak it more or less gently.

Barbera of Alto Piemonte

Very little Barbera production in Alto Piemonte because this area has a rather colder climate but the one we have found with Francesco Brigatti, also producing astonishing Ghemme and Nebbiolo,  is very good priced!  Check it out Campazzi from Francesco Brigatti

Interested to have this tasting in our location for tasting at 10 km from Durbuy? Interested to taste at home with wine tasting tubes?  Let us know.