Comparing Barbera d'Asti vs Barbera d'Alba

Barbera is one of the most cultivated and common grapes of Piedmont. Asti and Alba the two main areas in which this famous red berried grape expresses its best qualities

Barbera is one of the many grapes of Piedmont which are getting more and more popular among wine lovers for its quality. Among the most common and cultivated varieties in Piedmont, Barbera has represented in past years the most known red wine of this region, most of the times associated to ordinary wines, one of those produced in great quantity without caring too much about quality. Today, as a consequence of stubbornness and commitment of many Piedmontese vintners, in particular in the area of Asti and Alba, Barbera is considered among the great red berried grapes of Piedmont and Italy, highly regarded by wine lovers, it is a truly versatile grape, capable of making “lively” wines - of joyous effervescence - as well as austere and full bodied wines.

Barbera d'Asti

Barbera d'Asti, as well as Barbera del Monferrato Superiore - according to the Italian quality system - represent the highest expression of this grape, as the wines produced in this area belong since 2008 to the DOCG rank, Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita. The production disciplinary provides for many styles and three subareas. It should be said there is a difference between the classico and superiore style, also reminding this wine can be produced with at least 85% of Barbera and the remaining part can be represented by Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto grapes, also blended together. The classico style must have a minimum alcohol by volume of 12% and the aging must be of at least 4 months, a procedure which can also be done in wood. Barbera d'Asti Superiore requires a minimum alcohol by volume of 12.50% and a minimum aging period of 14 months, of which at least 6 in oak of chestnut casks. Production disciplinary of Barbera d'Asti also provides for the definition of the three subareas Nizza, Tinella and Colli Astiani, to be mentioned in the label. Of them, the subarea which is getting the highest appreciation and notoriety certainly is Nizza.

 Despite the production disciplinary provides for the use of the grapes Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto, there are many producers who prefer using 100% Barbera. This choice is mainly determined by the will of producers who are trying to increase the value of Barbera - in particular in the Nizza subarea - a grape having evident qualities to make great wines, something proven in the past years. Barbera d'Asti is currently produced - according to the production disciplinary - in 118 communes in the province of Asti and in 51 in the province of Alessandria. Thanks to the versatility of this grape, producers make many styles and interpretations. There are in fact styles which are more fresh and immediate, completely vinified in inert containers, as well as robust and austere styles, fermented and aged in cask or barrique. It is hard to tell the best way to vinify Barbera as, thanks to its versatility, it can be gotten interesting results both in the vinification in steel tanks as well as in cask. It should also be said styles vinified in barrique usually get a higher appreciation, in particular in foreign countries, more apt to the so called international style.

Barbera d'Alba

Barbera is very common in the Langhe area and in the territory of Alba, areas mainly known for the wines produced with Nebbiolo grape. Nevertheless, also in the territory of Alba are produced Barbera wines of high quality, a sign the grape has found its best place in the region: it is not by chance Barbera is the most common variety in Piedmont. As opposed to Barbera d'Asti, the production disciplinary of Barbera d'Alba - a wine ranked as DOC, Denominazione d'Origine Controllata - provides for the exclusive use of Barbera grape. Production disciplinary for Barbera d'Alba provides for a minimum alcohol by volume of 12% and does not specify a minimum period of aging, therefore leaving this choice to producers. In case alcohol by volume is at least 12.5% and wine is aged in oak or chestnut cask for at least 12 months, the wine can be ranked as “superiore” (superior). It should be noticed many producers - also in case their wines have these characteristics, that is at least 12.5% alcohol by volume and aged in wood for at least one year - they do not mention in the label of their wines the indication “superiore”.

 It should also be said most of Barbera d'Alba is aged in wood casks, sometimes the barrique, therefore giving the wine a higher structure as well as rounding the typical acidity and harshness of the grape. Despite the production disciplinary takes its name from the city of Alba, the wine is produced in a territory of 54 communes in the province of Cuneo, where at the center is located the city of Alba. Barbera is a late riping grape, and this is perfectly scheduled in the viticultural calendar of Langhe. The grape reach its ripeness at the end of September or the beginning of October, a period preceding the harvesting of Nebbiolo and following the one of Dolcetto. The yield in vineyard is defined - according to the production disciplinary - to a maximum of 100 quintals per hectare, however quality productions halve this measure. Barbera is in fact a grape usually producing high quantity of grapes, therefore it is indispensable a proper work in the vineyard in order to limit production, an essential condition for making quality wines.

Appearance Analysis

Barbera is a grape having a pretty high coloring quality. The quantity of coloring substances found in the skin give in fact the wine pretty intense and deep colors, as well as a pretty low transparency, sometimes impenetrable to light. These qualities of course depend on viticultural presuppositions. Barbera is a variety tending to overproduction, therefore in case are not adopted proper measures in order to low production, that is, factors of quality viticulture, wines tend to have a less intense color and more specifically, a higher transparency. Wines produced with Barbera are frequently characterized in youth by evident purple red nuances, frequent qualities in wines aged in inert containers. The aging in wood tends to oxidize the coloring substances of wine, therefore in these wines, also in their youth, purple nuances are pretty rare. Both in Barbera d'Asti Superiore and Barbera d'Alba, the color which can be observed is intense and brilliant, with a pretty low transparency. With time - following the normal evolution of red wines - it will be observed ruby and garnet red colors, hues which can also be observed in the nuance.

Olfactory Analysis

Barbera is always generous to the nose, in particular for its exuberant aromas of red and black berried fruit, as well as flowers. The aging in wood give complexity to the wine - of course - by enriching it with tertiary aromas. Besides wood, Barbera is an explosion of fruits, in particular cherry, plum and blackberry, as well as raspberry and blueberry, whereas the most typical flower sensation is violet. Like already said, the aging in wood - which in Barbera is represented by cask as well as the more modern and smaller barrique - enriches the wine with spicy and complex aromas, such as vanilla, cocoa, chocolate, tobacco, cinnamon and sometimes black pepper, as well as pleasing balsamic sensations, frequently recalling menthol. With time and with the development of aging, also in bottle, in wines produced with Barbera grape sensations of fruits evolve in aromas of jams. Also the more complex aromatic qualities continue their evolution, frequently developing aromas of leather and tar.

Gustatory Analysis

Barbera is a grape making wines usually considered as rustic. This characteristic mainly derives from the evident acidity of the grape, therefore making pretty harsh wines. As the astringency is not very high, Barbera is usually aged in wood containers - cask or barrique - in order to give “round” tannins and to balance the evident acidity of the grape. The practice of aging in wood is more frequent in Barbera d'Alba than in Barbera d'Asti, area in which the grape is sometimes vinified in inert containers, generally steel tanks. The content in sugar is very good, quality which gives the wine a pretty high quantity of alcohol. It is not rare to find Barbera wines with an alcohol by volume higher than 14%. The main quality which can be perceived in Barbera wines clearly is acidity, a characteristic moving balance towards “hard” tones. For this reason both alcohol and aging in wood contribute to the reaching of balance, therefore making the wine rounder.

Source: www.diwinetaste.com/