Barbera

No grape has known such a dramatic upgrade in its fortunes and image in the last 20 years than Barbera in Piemonte, north-west Italy. This grape was once regarded as rather ordinary, partly because it was so widely planted, the most common Piemontese grape in fact. However, these uncharming attributes have completely evaporated with the reduced yield of quality winegrowing and the increasing ageing in barriques. Today, Barbera is one of the most important red grape varieties in Piedmont, but is also cultivated in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Smaller vineyards can still be found in Slovenia, Greece, northern Macedonia and Israel. There are even tiny stocks in Argentina, the USA, Australia and South Africa. A typical wine from Barbera grapes has a brilliant ruby red colour, good extract with strong acidity, gentle tannins and an intensely fruity taste with wonderful cherry aromas.