Barbera d'Alba Wine

The Barbera d'Alba DOC is located in Italy's north-western region of Piedmont, and was granted its classification in 1970. The area includes the Langhe hills around the town of Alba, overlapping the same zones as Barolo and Barbaresco and also extending into the Roero zone. This grape, like so many Italian indigenous varieties, has ancient origins, although evidence of this variety only appears in documentation from the 17th century. It was first officially cited in 1798 by the deputy director of the Agrarian Society of Turin, Count Nuvolone, who was the first to create a definitive list of wine-grape varieties used in Piedmont at that time.

Originally known as Il or La Barbera by the Piemontese farmers, the grape was regarded for its rustic, strong and generous character. It was also a favorite amongst the Savoyard army, who considered the wine a "sincere companion" due to the wine's ability to help officers maintain a level head during the most difficult times in battle.

Barbera d’Alba vines are planted on steep, sloping hills made up of chalky clay where the red-grape variety Barbera produces good yields. The best wines of Barbera d'Alba source their grapes from hillside vineyards close to those of Barol, and DOC rules state that the wine must only be made from the Barbera variety. For the added designation of superiore it must be aged for a minimum of 12 months in oak. Some vineyards in Alba are also dedicated to growing Barbera's more famed sibling and king of reds, Nebbiolo, as well as the intensely perfumed and black-fruited Dolcetto.

Barbera is generally esteemed for its deep color, low tannins and high levels of acidity, which is unusual for a red grape growing in a warm climate. When young it offers fresh flavors of cherries, blueberries and raspberries. Unlike Barbera d'Alba's counterpart, Barbera d’Asti DOCG, which is generally considered more feminine in nature (and produced in the classic, lively style associated with Barbera), this red is characteristically richer, bolder and fuller in flavor. It is usually made more in line with a Barolo or Barbaresco, coming out powerful and rounded. Due to its high acidity, this wine is considered to be better with some age, to allow the fruit, oak, tannins and acidity to integrate.