The Piedmont Series - Barbera
Written By: Dylan York on Thu, Jun 19th 2008
Barbera is Italy's third most cultivated grape variety after Sangiovese and Montepulciano and is known for producing complex, fruity wines with high acidity and low tannins. It is known as the "people's wine" in Piedmont being deeply rooted in the region's viticultural history. Speaking of history, one mishap in particular left a scar on the grape's reputation when in 1984 thirty people died from drinking cheap Barbera that had been contaminated with methanol. This accident occurs when wines are left unmonitored and macerated for long periods of time. Note to self, don't drink cheap wine!
Barbera typically ripens two weeks after Dolcetto and two weeks before Nebbiolo making it the perfect domino in the sequence of Piedmont wine production. Even if the varietal is allowed to stay on the vine for long periods, it maintains its high levels of acidity. Before the DOC and DOCG laws were set into motion in the late 1960s, Barbera was used in the blending process for Barbaresco and Barolo to add color to the wines. Today Barbera is found in three DOC zones; Barbera d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, and Barbera del Monferrato. The wines of Monferrato are mostly semisweet and frizzante styles and are not widely distributed outside of Italy so I will not delve into them. The most popular wines and the ones you will most likely encounter are the wines of Alba and Asti.
Barbera d'Alba is produced in and around the township of Alba which is located in the province of Cuneo. The wines of Alba are known to be rich, full-bodied and the production is very small compared to the wines of Asti. They are considered to be the highest quality of wines produced with the Barbera varietal and can be aged between five to twelve years depending on the vintage. In fact, there is sub-zone in the region known as Barbera d'Alba Colline Nicesi DOC, that is starting to be recognized for top quality wines and possibly considered for DOCG status. Look for top producers such as Pio Cesare, Aldo Conterno, Angelo Gaja, and Prunotto for great Barbera d'Alba.
Barbera d'Asti is a much lighter version compared to the wines of Alba and is described as being more soft and supple. The grapes of Asti enjoy a much warmer climate therefore the wines tend to have ripe fruit tones and can be enjoyed in their youth anywhere from three to eight years. Barbera d'Asti also has a popular sub-zone, Nizza, which is making a name for itself with stricter regulations and serious styles of Barbera, so keep your eyes open. Look for producers such as Michele Chiarlo, Coppo, and Pico Maccario.
In the next installment of the Piedmont Series I will look at the other Nebbiolo based DOCG wines, Gattinara and Ghemme.
