The Wine Reference🍷 SupportBarbera grape
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Barbera is a red grape known for sour cherry, plum, spice. Its best-known homes are Piedmont.
Origin and history
From Piedmont's Monferrato hills, documented there from the late 1700s; long Piedmont's everyday red and still one of Italy's most planted black grapes.
Where it grows
Piedmont (Barbera d'Asti, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera del Monferrato, Nizza DOCG), Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese, Emilia, plus California, Argentina and Australia.
Structure
Medium to full body with deep colour, notably high acidity and low tannin, so it feels juicy rather than drying.
Aromas, young and aged
Young: sour cherry, red plum, blackberry and a hint of spice; oak adds vanilla and chocolate. With age: dried cherry, leather and earth.
Ageing
Most drinks best within 2–6 years; top oak-aged Nizza or Barbera d'Alba can improve for 10–15 years.
Good to know
Giacomo Bologna's Bricco dell'Uccellone (1982 vintage) showed Barbera aged in French barriques could rival Piedmont's grandest reds, transforming its reputation.
Wine regions for Barbera
Barbera wines to try
Real bottles from The Wine Library.
Pio Cesare Barbera d'Alba
Piedmont · Barbera d'Alba · Barbera
Bright, juicy Barbera: cherry and fresh acidity.
Food: Pizza, salumi
Similar red grapes
Explore all grapes in the interactive guide
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