RedLead grape in 20
Barbera
Piedmont's everyday red, and for a long time the one that actually paid the bills while Nebbiolo took the credit. Deep purple, very high acid, and almost no tannin, which is the reverse of the grape it grows next to. It ripens earlier and it will crop on sites Nebbiolo would sulk on. Asti gives the fuller, riper style, Alba the tighter one. Barrique aging came in hard in the 1980s and has since calmed down.
Worth knowing
Acid without tannin makes it unusually good with food and unusually hard to age. Growers who want a serious Barbera are chasing ripeness to soften the acid, which is the opposite problem to the one they have with Nebbiolo.
Where it is allowed40 appellations
Piedmont20
- AlbaDOC15-30%Still hunting
- AlbugnanoDOCStill hunting
- Barbera d'AlbaDOClead grapemin 85%Still hunting
- Barbera d'AstiDOCGlead grapemin 90%Still hunting
- Barbera del MonferratoDOClead grapemin 85%Still hunting
- Barbera del Monferrato SuperioreDOCGlead grapemin 85%Still hunting
- CanaveseDOCStill hunting
- Colli TortonesiDOCStill hunting
- Collina TorineseDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Colline SaluzzesiDOCStill hunting
- GabianoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- LangheDOCStill hunting
- Malvasia di Casorzo d'Asti (Casorzo)DOCStill hunting
- MonferratoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- NizzaDOCGlead grape100%Still hunting
- PiemonteDOClead grapeStill hunting
- PineroleseDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Rubino di CantavennaDOClead grape75 to 90 percentStill hunting
- Ruchè di Castagnole MonferratoDOCGStill hunting
- ValsusaDOCStill hunting
Lombardy10
- Bonarda dell'Oltrepò PaveseDOCStill hunting
- BotticinoDOClead grapemin 30%Still hunting
- Buttafuoco dell'Oltrepò PaveseDOClead grapeStill hunting
- CasteggioDOClead grapemin 65%Still hunting
- CellaticaDOCmin 30%Still hunting
- CurtefrancaDOCStill hunting
- Oltrepò PaveseDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Riviera del Garda ClassicoDOCStill hunting
- San Colombano al LambroDOCStill hunting
- Sangue di Giuda dell'Oltrepò PaveseDOClead grapeStill hunting