Simple, Delicious, Affordable Barbera Wine
Approachable Red Wine is a Crowd Pleaser: Italian & California Style
The love of red wine is spreading rapidly: news about its health benefits and its compatibility with both meat and pasta dishes have moved a lot of Americans to give red wine a try for the first time. Unfortunately, the robust structure of many reds-their tannins and acids and full presence in the mouth put a lot of people off. Those of us who are devoted to reds are often frustrated by our friends' reluctance to try something new. It's tempting at times like this to throw epithets around, to call our nearest and dearest 'pusilanimous' or 'troglodytic' or even the terrible hostile 'anhedonic'.
Before we resort to such verbal violence, it might be worthwhile to consider wines that have a lot of richness and that underplay the virtues that most of us grown-up wine drinkers seek.
Barbera makes overtly delicious, affordable wine. It's mostly grown in the Northwestern corner of Italy. Low in tannin and loaded with the taste of fruit, Barbera gets its structure from the play between acidity and the dense concentration of fruit. In northern Italy it is the wine that's consumed every day by the people who make those earth-shattering Barolos and Barbarescos.
Traditionally, Barbera has not been made in oak barrels (barriques), and yields have tended to be high. High yields invariably make for very acidic wine and winemakers who aspire to making good wine have trimmed back yields significantly.
This richer fruit has tempted a few houses to start wood-aging. Some of the results have been impressive. Prices on these examples are creeping up and this 'new style' is making a much more serious wine than the Barbera we're used to. However, the majority of Barbera is still made to deliver the luscious, quaffable fruit at an affordable price.
- Barrique-finished wine is almost entirely found in Alba, and the use of wood adds tannins to the wine. Occasionally, lots of acid and too much new wood make unpalatble wine. Many Alba producers are moving into Asti as they don't want to devote their Alba land to Barbera because Nebbiolo can be more profitable there. They also find the Asti terroir perhaps even better suited to consistancy and bright fruit flavors.
- In Asti, the key is the sandy soil, making more vibrant, somewhat lighter, juicy wines. Barrique aging is sneaking into Asti, but not always with great results.
- The Vietti Barbera d'Alba Scarrone and Braida's Barbera d'Asti Bricco d'Uccellone are enjoyable. Great inexpensive examples include wine from Gianfranco Alessandria and Bersano.
- California Barbera is definitely in the lighter style. We like Ca' del Solo from the estimable Randall Grahm and Seghesio's Family Vineyards Barbera. Renwoood’s Barbera is regularly mentioned as a world-class example.
More in Food & Drink
Latest Articles