The fine wines of the Langhe > Barbera wine

Barbera vine’s origins are very ancient: however, the first document where it is mentioned date back a few centuries ago. In fact, the first formal trace of this wine is in a document, dating XVII century, which is preserved in a museum in Nizza Monferrato; while it is officially mentioned only in 1798, following the drafting of the first ampelography of Piedmontese vines by Count Nuvolone, who was vice-director of the Turin Agrarian Society. Barbera wine has a rough and bashful character as well as Piedmontese farmers; it is a robust and sincere red wine, and one of the most well-known wines in Italy, for its generosity of alcohol character. A well-known Italian oenologist from the end of the last century, A. Strucchi, said: “… when Barbera wine has reached five or six years of ageing, it is very suitable for roast-beefs, as well as Barolo”. It is famous for it is able to transmit warmness and courage; it was elected “sincere companion” by the Savoy army officials, since it made them not to lose their temper in difficult situations. It has been celebrated by valuable poets, such as Carducci and Pascoli; Barbera wine is nowadays recognized as exceptional by many wine experts. The typical areas for its production are the hilly areas of Alba, in the province of Cuneo; the ideal conditions for its production are hilly vineyards, whose ground is clayey/calcareous and calcareous/siliceous. Excluded from the “DOC” label are the grounds which are exposed to North and plan or semi-plan valley floors; its producers are 3.744, its hectares 2.523, its maximum producible quantity is 176.610 hl, its average annual production is 44.060 hl. The only variety of wine admitted is the barbera one; its minimum alcoholic  content is 12%; its colour is an intense ruby-red, when young, and a grenade-red after the ageing, which is not considered though; its smell is vinous, intense, and characteristic; its taste is dry, full, characterized by strong acidity, slightly tannic. After a suitable ageing, its taste becomes full and harmonic; productions, which are characterized by an alcoholic content of 12% and a year of ageing in durmast or chest casks, can be qualified as “Superior”; in this case, obligatorily, it has to be shown a mark the year when the grapes were produced. Its ideal matching are warm Piedmontese appetizers, delicious first dishes, white or red meat dishes, poultry and game.