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Barbera: Native and International WineFrom The BKWine Brief nr 42:
Text and illustrations below provided by The Barbera International Wine Competition: Barbera is, above all, the typical vine of Piedmont which is integrated into the prestigious cultural and gastronomic traditions of this region. This wine, for the people of the Piedmont, represents the first sip taken when they were young, the wine which has been on the family table and the wine which has accompanied every important moment of their life. It is the wine for all, and of all. For a very long time, the Barbera vine has been the most cultivated vine in
the Piedmont Region. With its 16,600 hectares, it alone represents 35% of the
wine produced in this region; more than Nebbiolo, Muscat, Dolcetto, Cortese and
other prestigious native varieties. Barbera is not only from Piedmont.
In terms of consumption, Barbera is one of the four highest selling wines in Piedmont, Lombardy and the provinces of Parma and Piacenza. It is the most consumed wine in the Northwest of Italy, an area in which gastronomic specialties are perfectly adapted to the wine’s organoleptic characteristics. Even the rest of the world recognizes Barbera.A vine so deep-rooted in Italian tradition could not help but follow immigrants in their trans-oceanic travels. Argentina, California, Australia and other areas have cultivated Barbera. It was initially planted in gardens or household orchards of Italian immigrants so their dinner table would be able to have a wine which maintained some ties to their roots. The production of Barbera in these countries dates to the beginning of the twentieth century. Initially, only the good acidity of the variety was appreciated, and Barbera was used as an additive to other varieties which produced more sugar. Only recently, when the consumer found wines of good quality and personality from these countries, have the producers discovered the full potential of Barbera, and have begun to produce it in purity, using cultural techniques adapted to the variety. This process has produced stimulation in the demand for diverse and intriguing wines in addition to those which are derived from the classic Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah. Barbera, along with the other native Italian, Spanish and Portuguese varieties, are studied and cultivated with attention in the New World. The aim is to provide a wider range of products to the ever more demanding wine consumer. Barbera - Traditional and modern wine
Intense and vivid colorBarbera pigments have distinctive and interesting characteristics. The anthocyanin content (the substances which give red color to wine) are significantly higher in the Barbera grape as compared to the many other Italian and international varieties. Moreover, Barbera is distinguished from other vines by an elevated percentage of delfinidin as compared to the other types of anthocyanins. Practically, this means that Barbera grows with a deep red color with intense violet hue. This is an important point of satisfaction for the consumer who wants an intense and brilliant red wine color. An aroma of fresh fruitIn a wine with intense color, one looks for a certain olfactory power and Barbera does not disappoint the consumer in this second phase of tasting. Aroma intensity is often very elevated in young wines, with notes of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries in easy-to-drink products and with notes of blackberry, black cherries and fruit in brandy in more concentrated Barbera. With time in bottle, more mineral and balsamic notes are developed which slowly are substituting those of fresh fruit. Many producers have elected to refine the wine in wood, obtaining very good results in terms of complexity and longevity when vanilla and ‘toast’ obtained from the wood represents a discrete complement to the original fruit aroma. Taste which is smooth and liveGood acid structure and low astringency are the principal taste characteristics of Barbera. The acid content of the Barbera grape is traditionally higher than other varieties. This characteristic gives the producer a great advantage in that it gives him a natural acid reserve which allows producing, according to its personal taste and market requirements, both wines with a fresher and more vivid taste or full bodied ones, but with a solid acid structure. Also, the relatively lower level of tannins in Barbera eases the work of those who want a soft, not too strong in the mouth wine which can satisfy the taste of the modern consumer as well as be able to accompany the less fatty dishes of the traditional cooking of North Italy. Barbera should not be known as a light wine. It is the job of the grape grower to maintain equilibrium between the surface area of the foliage and the fruit yield, accumulating and carrying to maturation important tannin amounts as well as developing a considerable extract in the wine. With these grapes it is possible to produce stable, heavy-bodied wines which are in a position to compete with more noble and well-known wines. Important characteristics of Barbara emerge which allow it to spread world-wide: its great versatility and its ability to mould to the desires of its producer – in vineyard and winery. It can be used to produce young, fresh wines which are easy to drink or for the production of full bodied wines, suitable for a long ageing. A wine to use every dayFaithful to its popular origin, Barbera is not a wine reserved only for the few who can afford it. It is a wine to have everyday. It can be seen as a young and fresh Barbera for everyday use or as a more structured wine to be consumed on more important occasions. In every case, it has an optimum balance between quality and price. Barbera is the winning card for many markets. It satisfies the quality requirements of various types of consumers under different occasion of consumption, without demanding too much from them in economic terms. |
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En français
On a national
level, the area covered by Barbera is in excess of 30,000 hectares making it the
variety which is competing with Montepulciano, for the fourth place as most
widely seen vines in Italy. In red wines, Sangiovese alone exceeds it. It is
responsible for the production of the other 200 DOC and IGT in 14 regions of
Italy. Others which have the name Barbera on the label (for example Oltrepo’
Pavese Barbera, Colli Piacentini Barbera, Colli Bolognesi Barbera, Forlì
Barbera, Emilia Barbera, Marche Barbera, Garda Barbera, and others) represent
the main variety of numerous other DOC and IGT: Gutturnio dei Colli Piacentini,
Oltrepo’ Pavese Rosso, Provincia di Mantova Rosso, and others.
Barbera
possesses such numerous characteristics that, in addition to guaranteeing its
consumption in the regions of origin, allow ample presence outside of its
classic area.
