Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
countries by Italian immigrants, the fact that it
does well in dry climates and poor soils makes
it particularly suited to Australia and other
warmer viticultural zones. Given its popularity,
it's not surprising that Barbera was also chosen
to breed new varieties: it is one of the parents of
Albarossa, Cornarea, Ervi, and Incrocio Terzi 1,
all of which are successful wine grapes (some,
like Albarossa, very successful); while Nebbi-
era, Nigra, Prodest, San Michele, and Soperga
have yet to prove their worth.
pulled his
cru
wines out of DOCG Barbaresco
with the 1996 vintage because the law does not
allow the addition of a little barbera to deepen
Barbaresco's hue. “That this practice was once
common is shown by the fact that when we
bought our parcel of Nebbiolo vines in the
Cerequio vineyard, we found that the previous
owner had co-planted a few Barbera vines as
well,” his talented daughter Gaia told me. For
this reason, Gaja's Conteisa Langhe Nebbiolo
wine is a blend of 92 percent Nebbiolo and
8 percent Barbera. The grapes are picked and
fermented together.
The best DOCG Barbera wines in Piedmont
are those labeled Barbera d'Asti (generally
made from the oldest Barbera vines in the
region) and Barbera del Monferrato Superiore.
These are always made with at least 85 percent
Barbera and often more. A higher-quality Bar-
bera d'Asti is Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza (or
more simply, Nizza), which is made from 100
percent Barbera grapes grown in a small sub-
zone of the Monferrato, under stricter produc-
tion and viticultural guidelines. These produc-
ers have created the Nizza consortium and are
to be commended for the very strict production
guidelines they have adopted. Another DOCG
wine that can be made with small percentages
of Barbera is Lombardy's Curtefranca. There
are many DOC Barbera wines, the most famous
of which is Barbera d'Alba (mostly made from
younger vines planted at higher densities than
elsewhere), and even more IGT wines (that
there are 106 IGTs that allow Barbera tells you
just how popular this grape is all over Italy).
Generally speaking, Barbera d'Alba is bigger,
richer, and more velvety than Barbera d'Asti
and Barbera del Monferrato, which are lighter
and fruitier, have sharper tannins, and are
more acidic. The d'Alba versions usually bene-
fi t from better winemaking, but as the best
spots in that subzone are reserved for Nebbiolo,
well-made Barbera d'Asti wines can be just as
good. Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy also makes a
lovely barbera, fresh and vinous, ideal with
hearty fare and winter nights; those of Emilia-
Romagna are just as fresh but a little coarser
Which Wines to Choose and Why
Like many who have decided to consult plastic
surgeons in these appearance-dominated mod-
ern times, Barbera wines have also undergone
a remarkable makeover. Out with old tart, eye-
watering wines of unbelievable shrillness
(well, some of those are still around), and in
with richer, softer, small-barrel, oak-aged
wines of remarkable fi nesse and tactile charm.
Of course, like everything else, even good ideas
can go too far, and more often than not when I
drink a barbera today I fi nd myself wondering
why I bother. Notes of chocolate and vanilla are
everywhere, and frankly, all that gets old
quickly. Mercifully, there are still many more
traditional, bright, and fruity Barbera wines
made: when it comes to this grape and its
wines, you might say that the good, the bad,
and the downright ugly are always at your door-
step. It really is best—and certainly less
depressing—to consider only the best wines
made with this variety. It is these that are abso-
lutely world-class wines, with high acidities
and brightly fruity aromas and fl avors that
make them very food-friendly and fl exible.
These characteristics of low tannins, high acid-
ities, and very concentrated color also explain
why Barbera has always been considered an
excellent blending grape, and many wine
blends of Barbera and other varieties are pro-
duced all over Italy. In fact, a little Barbera
must or wine has historically always been
added to wines made with Nebbiolo, in an
effort to spike the latter's color. Angelo Gaja,
one of Italy's more famous producers, says he
