Critics, winemakers, sommeliers, and growers can argue about many things: the role—and usefulness—of new oak in Burgundy, the relative merits of orange wine, and planting international grapes in traditional regions. Yet, Nebbiolo attracts a complete, unambiguous consensus. Valhalla of red winemaking, the Italian equivalent of Pinot Noir, reaches its apogee in northwestern Italy.
However, vineyards in this vast and diverse region also plant other worthwhile grapes, including (but not limited to) Barbera. Viticulturists have cultivated the variety in the hills of Piedmont for over 800 years. Most believe it originated in the town of Monferrato, from where it soon spread to the Alba and Asti regions.
In the 20th century, however, many of the area’s leading producers did not take Barbera seriously; they regarded it as a poor relation to Nebbiolo, lacking both refinement and complexity. But this is unfair: Piedmont’s ‘second’ red grape variety should not be sniffed at. If it is handled with care – and planted on the right soils – Barbera will yield exceptional red wine. Moreover, when benchmarked against a young Barolo, for example, it is far more approachable and easier to drink.
There are two distinct approaches to making Barbera d’Alba. The first could be described as the ‘Beaujolais formula’ as it creates very fruity and upfront red wine: light in tannin and big on flavor. It requires good quality fruit, the protection of the must from oxidation, fermentation in stainless steel at low temperatures, and a brief maceration to extract moderate amounts of tannin. By using this method (presuming the vintage wasn’t a disaster), the tough, fruitless wines that defined Barbera in the 1980s have become a thing of the past.
Influence of Nebbiolo on Barbera Wines
The Barbera d’Alba DOC, meanwhile, insists that every bottle of wine contains at least 85 percent Barbera: no exceptions, substitutions, or get-out clauses. However, growers also have permission to include up to 15% Nebbiolo in the vat, although many producers will reserve premium-grade fruit for premium-grade wines.
Nevertheless, Nebbiolo can add a touch of finesse and perfume to a high-quality Barbera red if the winemaker has some room to maneuver with his crop. The crème de la crème, though, is represented by the Barbera d’Alba Superiore designation, awarded to wines aged in oak for at least four months.
Yet certain winemakers will mature their best cuvées in wood for up to one year. This represents the other side of Barbera d’Alba – the more ‘grown up’ face of the appellation. It involves treating Barbera with the immense respect given to Nebbiolo, harvested from the finest biccos (terroirs) in Barolo and Barbaresco.
Historically, merchant houses regarded Barbera as a second-rate label with prices to match. Today, a growing amount of producers are being tempted towards a paradigm of (relatively) extended extractions and maturation in cask, fashioning red wines that are both structured and intense. If deep color, racy acidity, and crunchy red fruit impress you, this is the style of Barbera d’Alba to choose. And, with each passing vintage, there is more available.
Geography and terroir
Barbera d'Asti vineyards
Two principal sources of high-quality Barbera wines in Piedmont are Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba. The latter is located to the southeast of Turin in northwest Italy, shadowing the handsome town of Alba on the south bank of the River Tanaro. Today, there are approximately 1300 hectares under vine, planted on calcareous soils in the very picturesque rolling hills of Langhe – a poster child for everything we love about Piedmont. For who could resist its bucolic scenery, world-class gastronomy (including the mega-expensive white truffles of Alba), and delectable red wines.
It is also an Instagram paradise that has come alive. Vertigo sufferers note that less than five percent of the region’s vineyards are classified as flat, encircled by the Alps and their majestic snow-capped peaks. The Barbera d’Alba production zone, meanwhile, overlaps with the Barolo and Barbaresco territories; indeed, growers traditionally reserved their Barbera and Dolcetto grapes for substandard land in these appellations, keen to benefit from Nebbiolo’s far higher price per kilo.
Nevertheless, Barbera remains an important part of the winemaking tradition in both areas, cultivated on slopes that face in every direction. Elevation and aspect also vary dramatically in Piedmont, two crucial factors that shape viticultural priorities in Italy.
Impact of Climate and Altitude
Thus, position, aspect, and altitude are key to whether the climat (vineyard site) is devoted to Barbera, Dolcetto, or the celebrity Nebbiolo. In an ideal world, one would cultivate the late-ripening Barbera on a south-facing slope that was not too high, about 450 meters above sea level. The appellation rules specify that vineyards must not plant vines at elevations exceeding 650 meters. However, climate change is having a decisive impact on weather patterns – in brief, summers have been getting warmer – and it seems likely that the Consorzio will authorize higher plantings in the future.
In the 1990s, such a move would have appeared foolhardy. Back then, growers were harvesting berries with often fierce acidity and very crunchy fruit – underripe Barbera is just as unpalatable as thick, soupy dross produced in heatwave vintages like 2019. But, recent harvests have seen the opposite problem, with very hot summers followed by mild winters.
The Role of Terroir and Emergency Vineyard Practices
Fortunately, there is no paucity of high-altitude sites in this part of the world. This is one natural advantage that winemakers and growers cannot afford to ignore. The same, of course, could be said for the region’s exceptional limestone soils. Rich in minerals and chalk, these terroirs retain just enough water in the summer months to keep the vine’s metabolism active. Otherwise, hydric stress will halt the ripening process as the plant struggles to survive. The DOC council may allow irrigation in emergencies, especially for younger vines. But this is always a last resort option.
So, who (or where) is producing the finest Barbera wines in Alba? In our experience, some of the most impressive examples come from Barbaresco, typically on higher slopes that are too cool to ripen Nebbiolo and are, therefore, more suitable for the region’s most-planted variety. In the subzone of Nieve, for example, more Barbera and Dolcetto are planted than Nebbiolo in these spectacular rolling hills.
Some of the oldest parcels are found here, vines that benefit from the proximity of the Tanaro River and its moderating influence on the mesoclimate. As a result, the harvest is often earlier than in neighboring Asti. Yet, it is hard to argue that the Barbera wines of Alba are inherently less structured or complex. As always, much depends on the winemaking and quality of your fruit.
Facts & Figures
Key wine styles
Medium-bodied red wines
Appellation structure
DOC Barbera d'Alba
Hectares under vine
1,300
Average annual production
82,000 hectoliters per annum
Approximate number of producers
900
Exclusive Expert Insights
Insight by Enrico Rivetto, Owner and winemaker at Enrico Rivetto Enrico Rivetto
I produce a wine called Barbera d’Alba Zio Nando, sourced from vineyards in the municipality of Sinio on the Lirano hill. This grape variety has suffered greatly from the effects of changes in solar intensity as it is very reactive to heat and light. Yet,
there are many precautions that can be taken to help Barbera. The most important safeguard derives from embracing biodynamic agriculture, which I have been practicing for 15 years – this reduces the amount of vine stress in warm vintages.
We also work on the soil structure by burying compost produced within our farm, and we have planted more than a thousand trees in the last ten years: five kilometers of mixed hedges and fruit trees that create wonderful ecological corridors. These keep the
areas cooler and attract a biodiversity of microorganisms, insects, and animals. In addition, we have bees and seven hectares of woodland that help our agricultural ecosystem become stronger.
In short, we must think not only about the individual grape variety but about how the individual grape variety is part of a broader and more complex organism, starting to consider the individual elements that compose it, regardless of economic gain. But, we can also intervene more directly and immediately by defoliating less and protecting the berries with zeolite, which acts as sunscreen against sunburn.
Key Grape Varietals
Barbera
Barbera, a prominent northern Italian grape, is best known for its role in Piedmont's Barbera d'Alba and Barbera d'Asti wines, producing fresh, light-bodied reds with low tannins. While closely associated with Piedmont alongside Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, Barbera grows in various Italian regions, including Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Campania, Sicily, and Sardinia.
Barbera d’Alba gastronomy
Brasato: Braised beef cooked slowly in wine
Alba is a glorious destination: a center of fine architecture, hospitable residents, and superlative cuisine! In the ‘centro storico,’ osterie kitchens are stocked to the brim with fresh ingredients and enticing smells; the signature dish of Alba is the divine brasato, served with mashed potatoes or polenta.
Like many local gastronomic traditions, it is built around one key ingredient, beef, which is then braised in red wine (often Barbera) and marinated alongside carrots, garlic, celery, and onions, in addition to bay leaves, cloves, and rosemary. The final result can only be described as mouthwateringly delicious. Or ‘delizioso,’ as the Italians would say.
A Guide to the Gastronomy and Cuisine of Piedmont: Read more
With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.
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