Barbera d'Asti refers to wines made from the Barbera grape in the province of Asti, in Italy's Piedmont region. While there is a minimum 85% of Barbera for these wines, most examples are 100%. A Barbera d'Asti cannot be released until March 1 after the harvest, while a Superiore must be aged for one year - with six months of that time, being aged in oak - before it can be released.

As Barbera is the most widely planted variety in Asti (and the most widely planted red variety in all of Piedmont), it has been a popular, pleasant, simple wine for decades. These examples of Barbera, with their high acidity and very light tannins, are ideal for a simple lunch of past or to accompany antipasti. For the past thirty years, some producers have elevated Barbera to a more "serious" wine, one that is aged in small oak barrels and has deeper color. Theses versions of Barbera d'Asti are becoming more commonplace today (those from the Nizza sub-appellation are noteworthy), although one can still find the traditional, "rustic" Barberas of the past. These latter versions are meant for consumption within the first three or four years; their simple spiciness makes them ideal partners for many grilled foods. (Wine/Appellations)