Barbera d’Alba DOC is located in Italy’s northwestern region Piedmont. The zone includes the Langhe hills around the town of Alba

October 4, 2010

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Barbera d’Alba Wine

Barbera d’Alba DOC is located in Italy’s northwestern region Piedmont. The zone includes the Langhe hills around the town of Alba, overlapping the same zones as Barolo and Barbaresco also extending into the Roero zone. Barbera d’Alba vines are planted on steep sloping hills made up of chalky clay where the red grape variety Barbera produces good yields. This grape, like so many Italian indigenous varieties, has ancient origins, although evidence of this variety only appears in documentation dating back to the seventeenth century. It was first, officially cited in 1798 by the deputy director of the agregarian society, Count Nuvolone, who established the fundemental list of ampelography of the Piemontese varieties cultivated at the time. Originally known as Il or La Barbera by the Piemontese farmers, it 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.

The best wines of Barbera d’Alba source their grapes from hillside vineyards close to those of Barolo. Some of the vineyards in Alba are also dedicated to the growing of Barbera’s more famed sibling and king of reds, Nebbiolo, as well as the intensely perfumed and black-fruited Dolcetto. This area was granted its classification in 1970 and the wine must only be made from the Barbera variety. For the added designation of Superiore it must be aged for a minimum of twelve months in oak.

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 the more feminine in nature and produced in the classic, racy and lively style associated with Barbera, this red is charactaristically richer, bolder and fuller in flavor. It is usually made more in line with a Barolo or Barbaresco, powerful and rounded. Additionally, 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.

Source: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-barbera+d%27alba

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